Golden Snidget

Golden Snidget
Species information
Eye colour	Red
Feather colour	Golden
Related to	Birds
Alternative names	Snidget
Height of average adult	Smaller than 1'
Mortality	Mortal
Distinction	360° rotation wings Originally used in Quidditch
Affiliation	Quidditch (formerly)
Ministry of Magic Classification	Beast XXXX
Status	Endangered

The Golden Snidget was a small golden magical bird with fully rotational wings, best known for early use in the wizarding game of Quidditch, eventually being replaced by the Golden Snitch.

History

The Golden Snidget

The Snidget was first introduced into Quidditch in 1269, when the newly appointed Chief of the Wizards' Council, a man named Barberus Bragge, released a Snidget during a Quidditch match and offered 150 Galleons to the player who could catch it. In protest of the barbaric treatment of the fragile bird, Madam Modesty Rabnott of Kent summoned the Snidget to her, fled the pitch, and released the bird into the wild. Nevertheless, the practise of releasing a Snidget during Quidditch matches continued, with the stakes changed to 150 points, rather than Galleons, awarded to the team of the player who caught the Snidget. Ultimately, use of Snidgets in Quidditch, and the popularity of the sport of Snidget-hunting, depleted the species considerably.

A Golden Snidget used in Quidditch

About a century after Barberus Bragge's introduction of Snidgets to Quidditch, when it became apparent that the Snidget was close to extinction, Elfrida Clagg, then Chief of the Wizards' Council, declared it a protected species. The Snidget was classified as XXXX not because of being dangerous, but because severe penalties apply if it is captured or injured. Clagg also founded the Modesty Rabnott Snidget Reservation in Somerset, England, named in honour of Modesty Rabnott's early efforts at protecting Snidgets.

The most notable factor in the protection of the Snidgets was the introduction of the Golden Snitch, invented by metal-charmer Bowman Wright, to the game of Quidditch.

During the 1989–1990 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sixth-year students in Care of Magical Creatures class were taught about how to properly handle Golden Snidgets by Professor Silvanus Kettleburn.

During the 1990–1991 school year, Snidgets were smuggled by at least three witches and wizards from the Somerset sanctuary. Jacob's sibling investigated this case with Alastor Moody and Nymphadora Tonks.

Physical description

Appearance of the Snidget

The Snidget was completely round, fat, covered in golden feathers, and has a long thin beak. Its eyes were bright red, and the rotational wings let the Snidget move in any direction with remarkable agility and speed. The Golden Snidget's feathers and eyes were so highly prized that it was at one time in danger of being hunted to extinction by wizards. A Snidget was an extremely fragile bird, as a human's grip could crush one to death. It had very small legs, making it look like an apodiform.

Appearances

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (First appearance)
• Quidditch Through the Ages
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Mentioned only)