Telmatias

Telmatias is a genus of birds in the wader family Scolopacidae, containing 6 species. This genus contains the majority of the world's snipe species, the other three extant genera being Gallinago, Coenocorypha, with two species, and Lymnocryptes, the Jack Snipe. Morphologically, they are all similar, with a very long slender bill and cryptic plumage. Most have distinctive displays, usually given at dawn or dusk. They search for invertebrates in the mud with a "sewing-machine" action of their long bills.

Species in taxonomic order

 * Great Snipe, Telmatias medius
 * Wood Snipe, Telmatias nemoricola
 * Solitary Snipe, Telmatias solitarius
 * Swinhoe's Snipe, Telmatias megalus
 * Pin-tailed Snipe, Telmatias stenurus
 * Latham's Snipe, Telmatias hardwickii

Fossil bones of some undescribed Gallinago species most similar to the Great Snipe have been recovered in Late Miocene or Early Pliocene deposits (c. 5 mya) of Lee Creek Mine, USA.