Hudsonian Godwit

Limosa haemastica

Order CHARADRIIFORMES - Family SCOLOPACIDAE - Subfamily Scolopacinae

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Reproduction
8. Conservation Status
9. Other Names

A large shorebird with a long, upturned bill, the Hudsonian Godwit breeds in the Arctic and winters in southern South America. Its remote breeding and wintering grounds have kept it one of the least well known of American shorebirds.

Cool Facts

• After breeding, the Hudsonian Godwit undertakes a migration from the subarctic to southern South America, in which it apparently makes nonstop flights of several thousand miles.

• Newly hatched Husonian Godwit chicks can swim across pools and slow-flowing streams. Adults swim well.

Description

• Size: 36-42 cm (14-17 in)
• Weight: 196-358 g (6.92-12.64 ounces)

Large shorebird. Long, slightly upturned bill with dark tip and reddish base. Long legs. Black wing linings. White stripe in wings. White rump. Tail black with white base. Breeding plumage with dark reddish chest and black barring on sides. Nonbreeding plumage gray all over.

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, but male smaller and with darker underparts when in breeding plumage.

Immature

Juvenile similar to nonbreeding adult, but browner and with pale tips to back feathers.

Similar Species

• Marbled Godwit larger, has longer bill, is a pale buff color overall, and has cinnamon underwings, not black-and-white pattern.
• Rare Black-tailed Godwit very similar, but has white underwings, not black.
• Bar-tailed Godwit lacks black-and-white in wings and tail.

Sound

Call a rising "toe, wit."

»listen to songs of this species

Range

Summer Range

Breeds in scattered locations in the coastal Arctic, from western Alaska to the shore of Hudson Bay in northern Manitoba and Ontario.

Winter Range

Winters in southern South America.

Habitat

Breeds on grassy tundra near water. Winters and migrates along marshes, beaches, flooded fields and tidal mudflats.

Reproduction

Clutch Size

Usually 4 eggs. Range: 2-4.

Condition at Hatching

Active and covered with down.

Conservation Status

Population size rather limited. Thought to have declined in early 20th century, but data are poor.

Other Names

Barge Hudsonienne, La barge de la baie d?Hudson (French)
Becasa de mar, Aguja de mar (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

Elphick, C. S., and J. Klima. 2002. Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica). In The Birds of North America, No. 629 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.