— WADERS & SHOREBIRDS (Charadriiformes) —
LAPWING (Vanellus vanellus) - Vaneau huppé
Found only in lowland marshy areas, in Switzerland it is mainly a passage migrant but with some few pairs breeding in areas under protection. It has a dramatic display flight with a characteristic call:
EURASIAN CURLEW (Numenius arquata) - Courlis cendré
A very large wading bird, with a long down-curved beak, whose identity could only be confused with Whimbrel. It is always very vocal, making a range of songs and calls. Its English name derives from its basic call “cur-lui”
SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago) - Bécassine des marais
Mostly a winter visitor to Switzerland from its core range to the north and north-east. Found in marshes and river margins. Hard to spot when not in flight. It has a distinctive “chip-per” call when stationary and also in flight. Famous for its “drumming”.
WOODCOCK (Scolopax rusticola) - Bécasse des bois
A very interesting bird, most active at dusk and dawn (crepuscular). Basically a marsh-dwelling bird that prefers forest and flies in the dark to display its territory and attract females making a very distinctive sound: