Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) population trend using 12 years of data across different Italian regions

The common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) is a popular migratory game bird in Italy, especially in the northern regions. An effective management plan for this species requires setting up a population monitoring scheme to estimate its conservation status. For waders subject to hunting, like the common snipe, such monitoring must also be based on quantitative and qualitative data collected for consecutive hunting seasons. Among these data, the demographic trends, the frequency and distribution during postnuptial migration, hunting bags, plumage collections, and habitat use are essential to improve the management and conservation of this species. The aim of this work was to explore variations in common snipe abundance in the span of 12 hunting seasons in 5 Italian regions: Emilia-Romagna, Latium, Marche, Piedmont, and Umbria. Data on common snipe abundance in each region and year were reported in the form of an abundance index (Indice Cynégétique d'Abondance [ICA]) and a harvest index (Indice Cynégétique de Prélèvement [ICP]), which correspond respectively to the number of common snipes flushed and harvested during a hunting trip. Considering pooled data from all regions, our findings revealed no significant variations in common snipe abundance and harvest rate from 2010–2011 to 2021–2022. However, significant differences emerged in the 5 explored regions. These results underscore the importance of maintaining long-term monitoring programs for evaluating the conservation status of the common snipe population, such as presence and abundance, which are critical for sustainable hunting and conservative management of the species in Italy.