Migratory mixing of <i>Gallinago delicata</i> (Wilson’s Snipe) in wintering areas highlights the need for international coordination for monitoring and management

ABSTRACT Determining migratory connectivity is essential to understanding population dynamics and managing and conserving migratory species. Gallinago delicata (Wilson’s Snipe) is a widely hunted wetland bird distributed throughout North America and parts of South America with little known regarding migratory strategy, connectivity, or population trends. Here, we used stable hydrogen isotope analysis of feathers to identify breeding areas and determine the degree of migratory mixing of 323 G. delicata harvested in Florida during the nonbreeding season. Our results demonstrate a high degree of migratory mixing between breeding and nonbreeding seasons and provide evidence that breeding birds from throughout Canada and the northwestern United States migrate to Florida. We also found evidence of long-distance migration across both latitudinal and longitudinal bands, with 104 individuals traveling from breeding grounds in western Canada or Alaska to nonbreeding habitat in Florida; the farthest-traveling individual likely migrated at least 4,270 km. Our findings highlight the crucial role of active and coordinated monitoring and management of the widely harvested G. delicata, which as long-distance migrants are disproportionately vulnerable to global environmental change.