Main content

Martin Hughes-Games on the Snipe

For presenter Martin Hughes-Games, the snipe is the strangest of birds as it's most distinctive feature is a sound it makes with it's tail feathers.

A new series of Tweet of the Day for Sunday morning revealing personal and fascinating stories inspired by birds, their calls and encounters.

It's called 'aero elastic flutter' and for television producer and presenter Martin Hughes-Games the sound of a snipe drumming in the landscape is a strange but remarkable thing. Something which baffled ornithologists until the nineteenth century scientist Wilhelm Meves tied snipe tail feathers to a 4 foot long stick, whirled the stick around and hey presto managed to produce the sound. of a snipe drumming.

Producer : Andrew Dawes of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Audio in Bristol
Studio Engineer : Ilse Lademann

Available now

1 minute

Last on

Sun 21 Jul 2024 08:58

Broadcast

  • Sun 21 Jul 2024 08:58

Podcast: Planet Puffin

Podcast: Planet Puffin

Exploring all things puffin - the silly and the serious, the scientific and the cultural.

Try this new podcast

Five stories of birds and birdsong are told by the people inspired by them.

Podcast