Bird GuideSandpipersBlack-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa
At a Glance Range & Identification Back to Top

At a Glance

The rarest of the four godwits in our area, the Black-tail nests in Eurasia and is only a stray to North America. In Alaska it may be a rare but regular migrant in spring in the Aleutian Islands. On our Atlantic Coast it is only casual or accidental, but strays have been found in several states and provinces, from Newfoundland to Florida.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from by Kenn Kaufman漏 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Sandpiper-like Birds, Sandpipers
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Coasts and Shorelines, Saltwater Wetlands
Region
Alaska and The North, Eastern Canada, New England
Behavior
Direct Flight, Running

Range & Identification

Description

12-15" (30.5-38 cm). Bill straighter than those of other godwits. In breeding plumage, reddish brown on head and chest, heavily barred on sides. Very gray in winter plumage. In flight, shows strong pattern like Hudsonian Godwit, but underside of wings are white, not black.
Size
About the size of a Crow, About the size of a Robin
Color
Black, Brown, Gray, Orange, White
Wing Shape
Broad, Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Rounded, Short, Square-tipped, Wedge-shaped

Songs and Calls

A loud quee-quee-quee; often silent.