The Subantarctic Snipe lives on islands south of mainland New Zealand. Its brown and blackish back feathers have buff edges, and it hides among dense vegetation during the day.
Its back has variegated brown and blackish feathers with buff edges, while the belly is mostly off-white. Its bill and legs are relatively longer than those of other New Zealand snipes.
It stays in dense vegetation by day and probes for soil-dwelling invertebrates. All populations perform a nocturnal aerial display in which vibrating tail feathers make a roaring sound as the bird dives.
Known nests contained one or two eggs, and both adults share incubation. A single adult accompanying one dependent chick is a frequent family grouping.
Introduced rats eliminated it from Campbell Island, but it survived on nearby Jacquemart Island. After rats were eradicated in 2001, birds naturally recolonized Campbell Island.
The Campbell Island subspecies is the smallest, with the darkest back feathers and a pinkish-buff belly. Most populations have pale yellow legs; Antipodes Island birds have gray legs.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.