WI-IUCN SSC Woodcock and Snipe Specialist Group 2016-2017 Report David Gonçalves Chair Mission statement ii. The participation in the 11th American David Gonçalves The first aim of the Woodcock and Snipe Woodcock Symposium materialized with two Specialist Group (WSSG) is to provide an communications on the management of Red List Authority Coordinator up-to-date knowledge on eight woodcock and woodcock in Europe, one in partnership with Andrew Hoodless (Game and Wildlife Conserva- BirdLife International 18 snipe species in the world. It is also expected to encourage new research and to facilitate tion Trust) for hunters and woodcock enthusi- asts, during a special session. Andrew is also Location/Affiliation contacts between researchers. WSSG plays the WSSG member. It was possible to divulge some Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic role of expertise platform for biologists, studies and activities carried out in Europe. Resources (CIBIO), University of Porto, conservationists and wildlife managers Increasing diversity of SSC Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Vila do interested in woodcocks and snipes for share Conde, Portugal; Biology Department, Faculty and exchange of information. As these are L Membership of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal games species, the final objective is to ensure i. The visit of the Chair to the US (18-28 October) the sustainable use of the populations. allowed the contact with American colleagues, Number of members members of the WSSG, and the recruitment of Main activities by Key Priority Area 140 new members for the group. (2016 & 2017) Communications Acknowledgements L Communication We thank the following donors who helped i. Publication of the annual newsletter of the cover the costs of the 8th Woodcock and Snipe group (numbers 42 and 43); uploaded in the Workshop: ONCFS (France), Direção Regional da web site of Wetlands International. (KSR #28) Ciência e Tecnologia (DRCT, Azores, Portugal), Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, L Scientific meetings Portugal), Direção Regional dos Recursos i. The 8th Woodcock and Snipe Workshop was Florestais (DRFF, Azores, Portugal). Moreover, held in the village of Madalena, Pico island, we want to thank the Municipality of Ma- Azores, Portugal; 9 - 11 May, 2017. Organised by dalenafor making available some of its facilities, the Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e including a modern auditorium. Thanks also to Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO, University of Porto, Al Stewart (Michigan Department Of Natural Portugal) and the Office National de la Chasse Resources) for his hospitality and all his work et de la Faune Sauvage (ONCFS, France). There during D. Gonçalves’ visit to the US. We also were thirty three participants, from 10 coun- thank the Rectory of the University of Porto tries, the majority members of the WSSG. (Portugal), for the financial support given to D. Twenty six communications (19 oral and 7 Gonçalves travel to the US, through the program posters); the “Programme and abstracts” book “Santander Universities”. is available here: https://www.wetlands.org/ wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Program_and_ Abstract_book_final.pdf. (KSR #28) Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), Least Concern Photo: Tiago M. Rodrigues Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Least Concern Photo: Tiago Silva Common Snipe chick (Gallinago gallinago), Least Concern Eurasian Woodcock chick (Scolopax rusticola), Least Concern Photo: Tiago M. Rodrigues Photo: Tiago M. Rodrigues Targets for the quadrennium 2017-2020 Projected impact for the quadrennium Summary of activities (2016-2017) Barometer of life 2017-2020 Key Priority Area ratio: 2/7 Research activity: improve the knowledge on The group’s workshop, held in Pico in 2017, the Key Priority Areas addressed: publication of the respective minutes and the the conservation status of African, South • Communications (3 activities) American and Asian woodcock and snipe annual newsletter, contribute to increase • Increasing diversity of SSC (1 activity) species. knowledge about our target species and their conservation and sustainable management. In Main KSRs addressed: 28 Communications this sense, we also perspective an increasingly Resolutions 2016 WCC: 027 Communication: (1) publication of the WSSG important role of our member’s next to the KSR: Key Species Result annual newsletter (numbers 43, 44, 45 and 46); entities responsible for assuring that. By 2020, (2) publication of the Proceedings of the 8th we also envisage having new data on the Woodcock and Snipe Workshop. populations of some poorly known woodcock Scientific meetings: (1) organisation of the 8th and snipe species, from Africa, South America Woodcock and Snipe Workshop; (2) participa- and Asia. tion in the 11th American Woodcock Sympo- sium, 24-27 October, 2017, Roscommon, Michigan, US. Increasing diversity of SSC Membership: visit to the US, to meet American colleagues and strengthen collaboration within the group and recruit new members. Policy Policy advice: continue working closely with entities involved in hunting management..