Limnodromus griseus
The Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) is a captivating medium-sized shorebird, a true delight for birders, especially due to its challenging identification from its close relative, the Long-billed Dowitcher. Averaging 23-29 cm in length with a wingspan of 46-52 cm and weighing 80-140g, its most striking feature is its exceptionally long, straight bill and relatively short, greenish-yellow legs. During the breeding season, adults sport a distinctive brick-red to cinnamon coloration ...
Short-billed Dowitchers breed in subarctic bogs, muskeg, and tundra wetlands at low elevations. Outside the breeding season, they favor coastal mudflats, salt marshes, estuaries, and occasionally interior freshwater wetlands.
Short-billed Dowitchers primarily consume small invertebrates, including marine worms, insect larvae, mollusks, and crustaceans, which they obtain by rapidly probing deep into soft mud or sand.
Highly gregarious outside the breeding season, Short-billed Dowitchers are typically diurnal, spending their active hours meticulously foraging in shallow waters or exposed mudflats, often roosting in dense flocks at high tide. Their iconic "sewing machine" feeding strategy involves rapid, rhythm...
The Short-billed Dowitcher exhibits a wide Nearctic distribution, with distinct breeding populations across North America. The nominate subspecies, *L. g. griseus*, breeds in eastern Canada, from Quebec and Labrador westward through Ontario. Subspecies *L. g. hendersoni* occupies the central Cana...
Least Concern
- The name "Dowitcher" is thought to derive from an old German word for "Deutscher," referring to a German bird. - Despite their common name, their bill is still remarkably long, often more than twice the length of their head. - Identifying Short-billed from Long-billed Dowitchers is considered o...