IDENTIFICATION

VOCALISATIONS

The song, which appears to be uttered on the ground and in display flight, is a repeated, low-pitched ‘pooop’.

The begging call of a juvenile is a rather breathless ‘cheeoo’ that falls in pitch.

DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT PREFERENCE

Greater Painted-snipe was once a much more widespread species in HK, frequently found in rice fields, where it was hunted. One hunter in 1930 noted that this species was found singly, or more usually in pairs, in the paddy fields from October to December, and that infrequently up to a dozen or more could be found in swampy places (Aymas 1930). Interestingly, the same hunter commented that during January and February as many as 50 could be found in the salt marshes on the Chinese side of Deep Bay. The majority of records were from the same area in the 1960s, and in 1960 one hunter shot 27 during the year, five in January and February, the rest from October to December. This same hunter commented that ‘when the rice is high, small bands may be flushed’. He further stated that ‘Later in (the) season after harvesting, (it was) generally found in rank sea-grass patches’, and that on average two males were shot to each female.

Since 1958 when HKBWS began to collect records, Greater Painted-snipe was most widespread in the 1960s, when it was recorded at 14 sites; during the 1970s and 1980s this figure fell to eight. The discovery of high numbers at Long Valley and Kam Tin saw a rise in records from 1993, numbers reaching the levels of those recorded during 1960. It has subsequently proved to be regular at both sites, although at Kam Tin expansion of village development is causing loss of suitable habitat.

Greater Painted-snipe is now almost exclusively a species of freshwater wetland and is concentrated as a breeding species at three areas: Mai Po NR, Long Valley and the lowland area east of Route 3 bounded by Sha Po, Pat Heung and Tsing Tam villages. In the latter two areas it prefers areas of inactive wet agriculture with dense aquatic vegetation (Leader 1999), although at Kam Tin it was previously found in marshy patches in a largely dry area heavily grazed by water buffalo.

It was previously absent from Mai Po where, presumably due to the formerly brackish or saltwater nature of that site the habitat was less attractive. However, this contrasts with the experiences of the hunter referred to above who found high numbers in the salt marshes on the northern side of Deep Bay. It is possible that such records refer to daytime roosts of birds that fed elsewhere at night, perhaps in wet agricultural land. However, the expansion of freshwater wetland habitat at Mai Po NR means it is now a favoured site, though it is the only one whose habitat is directly protected. This may change with the establishment of the Long Valley Nature Park however.

The site away from the northwest and north New Territories at which Greater Painted-snipe is most frequently recorded is Pui O, Lantau, where it has occurred from 14 October to 9 December, and once in spring on 18 April. It has been recorded infrequently at other scattered lowland sites across HK, including Po Toi, once, on 18 October 2012. Most records at these sites are in the final three months of the year, with rather few in spring.

OCCURRENCE

During the period 1958-98 most records occurred during the period from September to October, which accounted for 50% of all bird-days. However, since 1999 Greater Painted-snipe has been most numerous through the whole winter period from the first week of October to the first week of February (Figure 1), which has accounted for 56% of records (September and October only accounted for 21% of records). Lower numbers occur during spring, and even lower numbers during the summer months, though this is likely due to reduced observer activity at this time, as it is presumed that most birds present in spring and summer belong to the local breeding population. The highest count is 70 at Lok Ma Chau MTRC Ecological Enhancement Area on 13 November 2013.

Historically there was a decline during the 1970s, with only 20 bird-days at eight sites recorded during the whole decade, considerably fewer than the 72 bird-days from 14 sites recorded in the 1960s. Numbers recorded increased slightly from the mid-1980s with the discovery in 1985 that it was frequently present at Ha Tsuen, and in 1988 at Chau Tau Village (referred to as Lok Ma Chau).

Since 1993 interest in this species has led to a better understanding of its status. Leader (1999) discussed details of a regular trapping programme at both Kam Tin and Long Valley during 1993-97. This showed that there was a degree of turnover at both sites and that total numbers present during the autumn and early winter were several times greater than the peak count during each period. For example, in 1996, the highest count at Kam Tin was 40, yet on seven visits between 28 September and 22 December 63 were trapped. Of 102 individuals trapped in 1996-97, 94% were first-year birds. There was one inter-site movement, that of a bird that moved 9km from Long Valley to Kam Tin.

BREEDING

The first proven breeding record in Hong Kong was at Chau Tau Village (referred to as Lok Ma Chau) (Chalmers 1989). It is likely, however, that breeding occurred long before this as a female at what is now Fairview Park on 2 June 1971 was in suitable habitat. Subsequently, there were ten further cases of proven breeding between 1988 and 1998.

Since 1999 breeding has been recorded in most years at three sites: Long Valley, the Sha Po and Kam Tin area and Mai Po NR. Active nests have been recorded from 19 April to as late as 22 September, though mainly from April to June. The usual clutch size appears to be four (Leader 1999), and up to four dependent young in a brood have been noted from as early as 15 March to as late as 11 October, though mainly in May, June and the first half of July.

There are only two records of both parents being in attendance with chicks: at Tin Shui Wai during 9-23 August 1992 and at Mai Po NR on 2 July 2005. The low number and the lack of such reports at Kam Tin or Long Valley, suggests that generally a high-density breeding population exists that utilises a typical polyandrous breeding system.

BEHAVIOUR, FORAGING & DIET

Greater Painted-snipe is a difficult species to observe as it is largely crepuscular and nocturnal. During the daytime it is unlikely to be seen unless disturbed or the exact location of daytime roost sites are known, as it hides up in dense vegetation. It is most often seen in the open at dusk when it comes out to forage.

RANGE & SYSTEMATICS

Monotypic. There are two disjunct areas of occurrence, one resident in much of Africa south of the Sahara, including Madagascar. The Asian population is largely resident from Pakistan east through much of India and the Himalayan foothills to Indochina and south China, and south through southeast Asia to Indonesia and the Philippines (Kirwan 2020). In China populations north of the Yangtze as far as Liaoning are summer visitors (Liu and Chen 2020).

CONSERVATION STATUS

IUCN: Least Concern. Population trend decreasing.