Page 193 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WADERS
Order Charadriiformes Family Scolopacidae Species Limosa limosa
Black-tailed Godwit

broad white grey back
wingbars
ADULT coppery-red
(WINTER) from head to
breast long, straight
pale grey pink bill with
underparts fine tip
black tail with mostly white
broad white band underwings
IN FLIGHT ADULT (WINTER)
black barring
on flanks
rufous-scaled
upperparts
remarkably
long legs
bright rufous-
buff plumage

JUVENILE
ADULT
(SUMMER)
his is one of Europe’s larger and more handsome waders,
Tboldly patterned in flight (when it is unmistakable) and
characterized by especially long legs. It usually stands with its body FLIGHT: quick, direct flight with shallow, stiff
well forward, bill probing almost at its toes.The Black-tailed Godwit wingbeats; head well outstretched, legs trail far
breeds in wet meadowland, where it is susceptible both to drainage beyond tail.
and sudden spring floods. In winter, it resorts to
relatively few estuaries, often rather narrow and
enclosed with long, narrow areas of rich mud; these
are occupied year after year. It is generally much less
widespread than the Bar-tailed Godwit but may gather
in hundreds in traditional wintering places. Spring
flocks before migration look stunning in red plumage.
VOICE Noisy in spring with nasal weeka-weeka-weeka;
quick vi-vi-vi in flight.
NESTING Shallow scrapes on ground in rich
vegetation; 3 or 4 eggs; 1 brood; May–July. WINTER FLOCKS
FEEDING Probes deeply, often in water up to its belly, From autumn to late winter, Black-tailed Godwits are found in flocks in
for worms, molluscs, and seeds. quite small, sheltered, muddy estuaries.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in N and W Europe, in wet
OYSTERCATCHER plain meadowland and flooded pasture;
similar in flight; shorter wings
see p.164 bill otherwise, mostly coastal. Widely
spread except in far N Scandinavia
shorter legs but everywhere localized, even in
above joint winter, when most are on tradi-
more pied
tional, muddy, narrow estuaries.
BAR-TAILED GODWIT Seen in the UK
see p.192 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 36–44cm (14–17 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 62–70cm (24–28in) Weight 280–500g (10–18oz)
Social Winter flocks Lifespan 10–15 years Status Vulnerable
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