Sandpipers · Shorebirds
Bar-tailed Godwit
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Limosa lapponica
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Voice
Call
Sonothèque ADVL
Song
Sonothèque ADVL
How to recognize it
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37–41 cm, long legs, bill about 10 cm and slightly upturned
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Breeding male rich brick-red below and on the breast
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Winter plumage pale grey-brown, paler underneath
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Long, slim wader shape; on takeoff and in flight looks long-winged
About the species
The bar-tailed godwit is a long-billed shorebird with a low, steady build and relatively short legs. In breeding plumage, males look especially rich and warm-toned, while in winter both sexes turn much plainer.
It moves with purpose along the waterline, feeding on mud and shallow flats rather than lingering in one spot. It works both by day and at night when the tide suits it, and it is famous for covering huge distances in one stretch.
Look for it on Arctic tundra and along coasts with soft ground and plenty of food. It takes worms, crabs, shellfish, and other small animals, breeding far north and wintering on warmer shores in Africa, India, Australia, and New Zealand.
Where to find
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Along canal edges, pond shallows, and muddy riverbanks — look for a long bill probing quickly in soft silt.
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On estuary mudflats and brackish inlets — at low tide, Bar-tailed Godwit walks the exposed mud, picking worms and small crustaceans.
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At quiet lake fringes with reeds — especially on open strips of mud in the morning, feeding in short, deliberate steps.
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On damp waterside lawns and wet pasture-like grass — sometimes it moves onto low, soggy greenery to forage.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Limosa lapponica Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Bar-tailed godwit Encyclopedia article