The snipe - a fascinating bird and the origin of the word 'sniper'

The snipe - a fascinating bird and the origin of the word 'sniper'

With its cryptic plumage, striking beak and curious drumming behaviour, the snipe is a fascinating bird that has captivated sportsmen for generationsPrime habitats can draw sizeable gatherings of snipe Bel Chapman’s summing up of the snipe is hard to better: ‘The most shifty and capricious of all gamebirds – here today, gone tomorrow,’ he noted in his book Bird-Life of the Borders. He added how these birds will often sit tight until almost trodd…