An estimate of the Great Snipe Gallinago media population in Sweden based on recent surveys at Ånnsjön and Storlien

Abstract

An estimate of the total Swedish population of the Great Snipe Gallinago media is presented. Today, the Scandinavian Great Snipe population is found only in the mountain range of Sweden and Norway. The present population estimate is based on recent census work in the western part of the province of Jämtland, holding approximately 10% of the known Swedish leks. Suitable habitats were identified on vegetation maps, and selected areas were visited during the lekking season from mid-May to mid-June. The population densities found in these sample areas were extrapolated to the total area of suitable habitat in the Swedish mountain range. We estimate the total Swedish population to comprise around 1,800 lekking males, presumably corresponding to a similar number of breeding females.