Lymnocryptes minimus -- (Brünnich, 1764) ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- -- SCOLOPACIDAE Common names: Jack ; Bécassine sourde European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Van den Bossche, W., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

In this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe.

Within the EU27 this species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Albania; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Faroe Islands (to DK); Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom Vagrant: Iceland; Liechtenstein; Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO); Gibraltar (to UK) Population The European population is estimated at 19,600-44,100 pairs, which equates to 39,300-88,200 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 9,500-23,100 pairs, which equates to 19,100-46,100 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe the population size is estimated to be stable. In the EU27 the population size trend is unknown. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology This species is fully migratory and crosses Europe on a broad front. It breeds from May to early September (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) in well-dispersed solitary pairs (Johnsgard 1981, Snow and Perrins 1998), after which (between August and September) adults undergo a flightless moulting period close to the breeding grounds. The autumn south-west migration occurs from mid-September to mid-November, with the species departing its wintering grounds again in March to mid-April. Outside of the breeding season the species remains largely solitary, usually feeding singly or in groups of up to five individuals. Most of its activities are carried out nocturnally or in the early morning and late evening (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996). The species breeds in the northern taiga and forest tundra zones on open grassy marshes and bogs with swampy ground (Johnsgard 1981, (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996)) on flood-plains (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996)), in swampy coniferous forest, willow (Salix spp.) marshes or wet alder (Alnus spp.) woods (Johnsgard 1981). Outside of the breeding season it inhabits both fresh and brackish wetlands (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) showing a preference for mosaics of moist and waterlogged mudflats with soft, silty mud and dense of tussocks vegetation (Hayman et al. 1986, Van Gils and Wiersma 1996). Suitable habitats include swamps, fens (Snow and Perrins 1998), grassy marshes (Johnsgard 1981), the margins of rivers and streams (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998), overgrown flood-lands, sewage farms (Snow and Perrins 1998), rice- fields (Johnsgard 1981), flooded arable fields, damp pastures and water meadows (Snow and Perrins 1998). Its diet consists of adult and larval insects, annelid worms, small freshwater and terrestrial gastropods and the seeds and vegetative parts of aquatic and shoreline plants (Johnsgard 1981). The nest is positioned on hummocks of sphagnum moss or grass tussocks on floating bogs just above the surrounding water (Johnsgard 1981), also on drier ground amongst bushes (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) (e.g., dwarf birch (Betula nana) and heather) (Johnsgard 1981). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Artificial/Aquatic - Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land suitable non-breeding Artificial/Aquatic - Wastewater Treatment Areas suitable non-breeding Forest - Boreal suitable breeding Forest - Temperate suitable non-breeding Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) suitable non-breeding Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands major breeding Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under ha) suitable non-breeding Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/ suitable non-breeding Pools Wetlands (inland) - Tundra Wetlands (incl. pools and temporary waters from suitable breeding snowmelt) Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats The species is threatened by the loss and degradation of its wetland habitats through afforestation, peat extraction and drainage for agricultural intensification (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996). It also suffers from lead poisoning as a result of ingesting lead shot deposited on wetlands (Olivier 2006). The species is hunted during the autumn migration (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) (e.g. in Denmark) (Bregnballe et al. 2006). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Agriculture & Agro-industry Timing Scope Severity Impact aquaculture farming Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown Stresses Ecosystem degradation Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown (intentional use - species is the target) Stresses Species mortality Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial animals Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown (unintentional effects - species is Stresses not the target) Species mortality Climate change & Habitat shifting & Timing Scope Severity Impact severe weather alteration Future Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown Stresses Ecosystem degradation; Indirect ecosystem effects Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Natural system Abstraction of Timing Scope Severity Impact modifications surface water Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact (commercial use) Declines Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Natural system Other ecosystem Timing Scope Severity Impact modifications modifications Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation; Species disturbance Conservation Conservation Actions Underway The species is listed on Annex II (A) and III (B) of the EU Directive. The annual success of reproduction is estimated every year by wing surveys in Denmark since the end of the 1970s, and in France since the mid-1990s. Hunting bags are estimated every year in Denmark (Clausager 2006).

Conservation Actions Proposed Afforestation, peat extraction and drainage should be stopped. Hunting should be monitored and regulated to ensure it does not impact this species. Bibliography Bregnballe, T., Noer, H., Christensen, T. K., Clausen, P., Asferg, T., Fox, A.D. and Delany, S. 2006. Sustainable hunting of migratory waterbirds: the Danish approach. In: Boere, G., Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 854-860. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Clausager, I. 2006. Wing survey of and Snipe in Denmark. International Studies 11: 106-112. Hayman, P., Marchant, J. and Prater, A.J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London. Johnsgard, P.A. 1981. The plovers, and of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London. Olivier, G-N. 2006. Considerations on the use of lead shot over wetlands. In: Boere, G., Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 866-867. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Snow, D.W. and Perrins, C.M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Van Gils, J. and Wiersma, P. 1996. Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/53869 on 15 April 2015). Map (see overleaf)