We love releases! This Wilson's Snipe was released after 16 days in our care. When brought to CROW, the bird exhibited wing droop in both wings and a wound on the patagium which is the skin flap that assists in obtaining lift while the bird is gliding. After treatment and supportive care by our hospital and rehabilitation team, the Snipe was cleared for release. Note: although we give them release instructions on how to exit the boxes gracefully and in full view of the camera, they don't always

A winter visitor to Florida, Wilson’s snipes are typically found in wetlands, but can be difficult to spot due to their stealth camouflage. Surprisingly, this guy let me approach within a couple feet of him to catch some video footage and photos on my iPhone. These sandpipers are incredibly fast, flying up to 60 miles per hour. I found it interesting to learn that the term “American Sniper” came from the challenge of hunting these birds based on their camouflage, speed, awareness and quick fligh

A Wilson's Snipe doing some preening and poking about in the mud with his/her impressively long beak. Video is in slow motion at 25% of real time and does not have sound. | Jocelyn Anderson Photography

A Wilson's Snipe bouncing and grooving along while poking about in the mud for food. The strongest hypothesis for this motion is to deter predators. This bouncing motion is done when when the bird is being watched, and it is done in open habitat where it's more likely that a predator would spot them. The Snipe has detected a potential threat and is letting the predator know that this bird has plenty of energy to fly off and escape, so it's not even worth the attempt. There's another possible exp