Short-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus semipalmatus

The Short-billed Dowitcher is a medium-sized shorebird with a long, straight bill and distinctive drooping appearance. During the breeding season, it has a rich rufous coloration on its underparts and a mottled brownish-gray upperparts. In winter, its plumage becomes more grayish and it displays a white belly. This species is known for its distinctive, high-pitched calls and its habit of probing deep into mud or sand for invertebrates. It breeds in the Arctic and migrates to coastal mudflats, marshes, and estuaries in North and South America. Short-billed Dowitchers are highly gregarious and often form large flocks during migration.

Habitat: Coastal mudflats, marshes, estuaries

Short-billed Dowitcher
© JJ Harrison · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0