Within the broad habitat types, great snipes select feeding places in micro-habitats with specific parameters, located in a wide spectrum of plant communities. Based on the research carried out in the alluvial part of the Upper Narew River in 2013-2014, a number of habitat parameters characterising feeding locations was determined (M. Korniluk - unpublished data). The most prominent selectivity was observed in relation to soil moisture and softness, as well as vegetation structure. Male great snipes chose moderate humidity (N = 86, average soil moisture = 3.592, SD = 1.44), in exceptional cases with surface water present, but avoided heavily flooded habitats. No birds were found in locations where the water level was higher than 10 cm above the ground level, and 72% of the birds were recorded in places, where the water level was lower than 3 cm above the ground. Often these locations were on the edge of the mineral elevations, which due to the moderate soil moisture provided adequate soil softness (N = 165, average softness=6.2 cm, SD = 2.22 cm) enabling the great snipes to feed efficiently.
The structure of vegetation was particularly important when choosing a habitat. Throughout the entire breeding period from early May to mid-June, the birds selected places with low herbaceous vegetation (N = 175, average = 43.5 cm; SD = 20.97 cm), characterized by significant sparseness of the vegetation both in the vertical level (N = 173, average vertical coverage = 13.89%; SD = 17.24%) and horizontal level (N = 173, average horizontal coverage = 5.91 m; SD = 4.39 m). Often, these were small patches of habitats of several square meters created by more intense grazing by herbivores. Open soil turned out to be also an important feature within the feeding grounds (average = 43.30%, SD = 32.05). As tussocks were found in only 7% of the recorded locations, and their height did not exceed an average of 9 cm, we can conclude that great snipes avoid tussocky grasslands. Shrubs were also absent on the feeding grounds, however this could be due to the specifics of the sample plots on which the study was conducted, because in places where the bushes were present within the plots, the structure of herbaceous vegetation was not suitable for great snipes.
The structure of vegetation was particularly important when choosing a habitat. Throughout the entire breeding period from early May to mid-June, the birds selected places with low herbaceous vegetation (N = 175, average = 43.5 cm; SD = 20.97 cm), characterized by significant sparseness of the vegetation both in the vertical level (N = 173, average vertical coverage = 13.89%; SD = 17.24%) and horizontal level (N = 173, average horizontal coverage = 5.91 m; SD = 4.39 m). Often, these were small patches of habitats of several square meters created by more intense grazing by herbivores. Open soil turned out to be also an important feature within the feeding grounds (average = 43.30%, SD = 32.05). As tussocks were found in only 7% of the recorded locations, and their height did not exceed an average of 9 cm, we can conclude that great snipes avoid tussocky grasslands. Shrubs were also absent on the feeding grounds, however this could be due to the specifics of the sample plots on which the study was conducted, because in places where the bushes were present within the plots, the structure of herbaceous vegetation was not suitable for great snipes.
Great snipe feeding grounds were most often located on meadows used for mowing and grazing or sedge-dominated meadows developed due to the lack of use or extensive mowing after 1 August as part of the agri-environmental program. At the beginning of the breeding season (the first decade of May), foraging birds were also observed on meadows that have not been used for several years - transforming into a sedge-dominated grassland with a fawn structure - however, as the vegetation developed, these places ceased to be used by great snipes due to too high and dense structure preventing them from foraging safely. Small patches of floodplains with a dominance of creeping bentgrass Agrostis stolonifera proved to be exceptionally suitable feeding habitat . This type of habitat was shaped by extensively grazed cows and horses.
