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Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) — photo 1 of 3
© Andreas Trepte CC BY-SA 2.5

Sandpipers · Shorebirds

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Voice

Call

Sonothèque ADVL

0:14

Song

Sonothèque ADVL

0:21

How to recognize it

  • 37–41 cm, long legs, bill about 10 cm and slightly upturned

  • Breeding male rich brick-red below and on the breast

  • Winter plumage pale grey-brown, paler underneath

  • 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.

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Sources