Limnodromus scolopaceus
The Long-billed Dowitcher, *Limnodromus scolopaceus*, is a medium-sized shorebird renowned for its strikingly long bill and distinctive 'sewing machine' foraging style. Averaging 26-32 cm (10-13 in) in length with a wingspan of 42-52 cm (16.5-20.5 in) and weighing 80-160 g (2.8-5.6 oz), it sports rich rufous-chestnut underparts and streaked back in breeding plumage, contrasting sharply with its cryptic plain gray non-breeding attire. A key field mark is its extremely long bill, often 2.5-3 ti...
This species primarily breeds in Arctic tundra and taiga wetlands, particularly sedge-dominated marshes and wet mossy areas. During migration and winter, it favors coastal mudflats, estuaries, salt marshes, and inland freshwater wetlands like sewage ponds and flooded agricultural fields, generall...
Primarily carnivorous, its diet consists mainly of aquatic invertebrates such as annelid worms, crustaceans (e.g., amphipods, copepods), and insect larvae. It forages by rapid, tactile probing deep into soft mud or shallow water using its long, sensitive bill.
Long-billed Dowitchers are active diurnal foragers, often feeding crepuscularly as well, and roost communally in large flocks during non-breeding seasons. Their signature foraging strategy involves rapid, repetitive vertical probing into mud or shallow water, a behavior aptly nicknamed the 'sewin...
The Long-billed Dowitcher breeds across a broad arc of Arctic and subarctic regions, primarily in Alaska and northwestern Canada, extending into parts of Siberia. During autumn migration, these birds travel extensive distances, moving southward through western and central North America, often uti...
Least Concern
- The Long-billed Dowitcher's bill can be up to 10 cm (4 inches) long, making it proportionally one of the longest among North American shorebirds. - Its characteristic 'sewing machine' feeding motion allows it to detect prey buried up to several inches deep in mud using highly sensitive nerve en...