Limosa fedoa
The Marbled Godwit's bill may look plenty long enough to reach buried prey, but the godwit doesn't seem content with its reach: it is frequently seen with its head submerged beneath the water's surface or with its face pressed up against a mudflat. These deep probes appear to satisfy this large shorebird, and a godwit looks genuinely pleased with a face full of mud. The godwit's bill has a dark tip that may give it extra strength, because black pigments are stronger than light-colored pigments. Some birdwatchers playfully call this species the 'Garbled Modwit.' |
I.D.: Sexes similar: very long, upturned bill with a dark tip and a light base; long neck and legs; buffy-brown plumage; dark mottling on the upperparts. In flight: cinnamon wing linings; distinctive, long, upturned bill. Size: L 16-20 in. (41-51 cm). Range: uncommon migrant in the southern U.S. Rockies; rare breeder in the central U.S. Rockies; extremely rare in the Canadian Rockies. Habitat: muddy shorelines of lakes and reservoirs, wet meadows, moist grasslands and open areas. Nesting: on short-grass prairie; in a shallow depression sparsely lined with grass; nest site is not well concealed, but it is vigorously defended by the parents, which incubate the 4 eggs for 21-23 days. Feeding: probes deeply in soft substrates for worms and invertebrate larvae; picks grasshoppers and beetles from long grass; may also eat the tubers and seeds of aquatic vegetation. Voice: loud, duck-like (2-syllable) squawks: co-rect co-rect; or god-wit god-wit. Similar Species: Long-billed Curlew: downcurved bill. Hudsonian Godwit: very rare migrant; white base to its tail. |
