The great snipe is known for the fastest recorded long-distance migration, flying from Sweden to sub-Saharan Africa.
Great snipes breed in northern Europe and western Asia and migrate to wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa. Tracking studies have recorded individuals covering thousands of kilometres in roughly two days, producing an exceptionally high average speed for a landbird migration.
The birds appear to combine rapid, direct flight with substantial fat reserves accumulated before departure. Their migration is unusual because they can travel extremely quickly without relying on a lengthy series of stopovers.
The great snipe is not the same species as the common snipe, despite their similar names and wetland habitats. It is also distinct from the woodcock, another migratory wader with a different body shape and behaviour.