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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 大象传媒 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

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