The Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago migrates in large numbers through central Europe towards its wintering grounds in western Europe. Over the past 20 years more than 12 000 Common Snipes were ringed at seven ringing stations in Poland during their autumn migration. Birds migrating along the Baltic coast tended to spend the winter in more northern areas than those that used southern Poland as stopover sites during migration. This pattern supports the hypothesis of a parallel autumn migration exhibited by Common Snipe. Additionally, snipes passing through Poland at the beginning of the autumn migration (originating from near breeding areas) overwintered further north than later migrants (known to originate from more northern areas), which is consistent with a leap-frog migration pattern. Our results suggest that the migration pattern of the Common Snipe is more complex than previously thought, because these birds use a combination of two different non-exclusive migratory patterns.