Snipes of the Western Palearctic, by Richard Rouxel [Review]

This book is a detailed scientific review of the published information on the Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus), and Great Snipe (Gallinago media).It does not include Pintail Snipe (Gallinago stenura), which live at the western edge of the Western Palearctic, between the Pechora and Chornaya River basins across to the Urals (Russia).Nor does it include a discussion of Common Snipe in North and South America, although many North American texts are cited (particularly Tuck's CWS monograph on snipe).In addition, it does not clarify the status of an African subspecies of Common Snipe mentioned in the EBCC Atlas of European Birds (often considered full specie -G.nigripennis).After an introduction to the taxonomy of Charadriiformes through to the Gallinagininae, the author begins on the species accounts.About half the book is devoted to the Common Snipe and the balance split between the other two species.Each account contains a very detailed description of these birds.This is literally a feather by feather description of the important feather tracts that might help the researcher determine age and sex.These descriptions also include the molt sequences.Other biometrics such as measurements and weight contribute to information that could be used on captured birds.Most of this material would not be useful for field observations.The section on voice, however, is more helpful for field identification.The section on breeding is heavily weighted on distribution and numbers.For Europe the breeding population is estimated at 800 000 to 1 000 000. Adding in the Russian estimate of 1 to 10 million makes the range of the estimate a little absurd.Nesting, egg-laying and nurturing chicks is also described in detail.The movement of birds both diurnally and on migration leads to population estimates and a solid discussion on the validity of the data.This is then linked to mortality, particularly hunting.From even a cursory glance it is obvious that northern Europe is the snipe "factory" for hunters located in southern Europe.This pattern is followed for all three species of snipe.There is less information on Jack Snipe, presumably because of its secretive nature.There is somewhat more on the Great Snipe, which at least can be counted during its lek displays.As the Common

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