• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Difference between revisions of "Black-tailed Godwit" - BirdForum Opus

(→‎Subspecies: Added descriptions.)
(Photo spacing.)
Line 2: Line 2:
 
;[[:Category:Limosa|Limosa]] limosa
 
;[[:Category:Limosa|Limosa]] limosa
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
[[Image:2008-07-20-048.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Breeding male<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Helios|Helios}}<br />[[Minsmere]] 21 July 2008]]
+
[[Image:2008-07-20-048.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Breeding male<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Helios|Helios}}<br />[[Minsmere]] 21 July 2008]]
 
36–44 cm (14-17¼ in)<br />
 
36–44 cm (14-17¼ in)<br />
 
Straight, flesh-coloured bill with dark tip<br />
 
Straight, flesh-coloured bill with dark tip<br />
Line 17: Line 17:
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 
====Subspecies====
 
====Subspecies====
[[Image:28511230303 922456e71c c.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Adult in winter plumage, subspecies ''melanuroides''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|SeeToh|SeeToh}}<br />Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, [[Singapore]], 21 August 2016]]
 
 
There are 3 subspecies<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>:
 
There are 3 subspecies<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>:
 
*''L. l. islandica'': Smaller, darker, with more extensive red on belly in Spring.
 
*''L. l. islandica'': Smaller, darker, with more extensive red on belly in Spring.
Line 25: Line 24:
 
*''L. l. melanuroides'': Similar to ''L. l. islandica'', but decidedly smaller.  
 
*''L. l. melanuroides'': Similar to ''L. l. islandica'', but decidedly smaller.  
 
:*breeds eastern Palearctic; winters to south-eastern [[Asia]], [[Philippines]] and [[Australia]]
 
:*breeds eastern Palearctic; winters to south-eastern [[Asia]], [[Philippines]] and [[Australia]]
 
+
[[Image:28511230303 922456e71c c.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Adult in winter plumage, subspecies ''melanuroides''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|SeeToh|SeeToh}}<br />Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, [[Singapore]], 21 August 2016]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
[[Image:7D2 9838 b 900.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Spring male in flight<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Joe52|Joe52}}<br />Bournemouth, [[Hampshire]], [[UK]], 15 March 2016 ]]
 
 
'''Breeds''' on temperate freshwater wetlands with open grassland.<br />
 
'''Breeds''' on temperate freshwater wetlands with open grassland.<br />
 
'''Winters''' on estuaries, mudflats and sandy shores. Also freshwater margins.
 
'''Winters''' on estuaries, mudflats and sandy shores. Also freshwater margins.
Line 36: Line 34:
 
The diet includes insects, worms, snails, insects, crustaceans, and parts of aquatic plants.   
 
The diet includes insects, worms, snails, insects, crustaceans, and parts of aquatic plants.   
 
====Breeding====
 
====Breeding====
[[Image:FH3I1610.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Adult in flight molting<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|targetman|targetman}}<br />[[Lincolnshire]], 3 September 2018]]
 
 
They nest on the ground, usually in short vegetation, laying 3-6 eggs.
 
They nest on the ground, usually in short vegetation, laying 3-6 eggs.
 +
[[Image:7D2 9838 b 900.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Spring male in flight<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Joe52|Joe52}}<br />Bournemouth, [[Hampshire]], [[UK]], 15 March 2016 ]]
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
 
'''Flight Call''': "wicka-wicka-wicka"
 
'''Flight Call''': "wicka-wicka-wicka"
 
<flashmp3>Limosa limosa (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
<flashmp3>Limosa limosa (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
''[[Media:Limosa limosa (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
''[[Media:Limosa limosa (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 +
[[Image:FH3I1610.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Molting adult in flight<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|targetman|targetman}}<br />[[Lincolnshire]], 3 September 2018]]
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug18}}#BirdLife International. 2017. Limosa limosa (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22693150A111611637. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22693150A111611637.en. Downloaded on 04 October 2018.
 
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug18}}#BirdLife International. 2017. Limosa limosa (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22693150A111611637. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22693150A111611637.en. Downloaded on 04 October 2018.

Revision as of 06:33, 5 October 2018

Molting adult
Photo © by Avi Meir
Eilat, Israel, 11 March 2006
Limosa limosa

Identification

Breeding male
Photo © by Helios
Minsmere 21 July 2008

36–44 cm (14-17¼ in)
Straight, flesh-coloured bill with dark tip
Greyish legs
Summer Adult Cinnamon-pink head, neck and breast. Brown, streaked black, upperparts. White wing-bar and dark wing tips. The white tail has a black bar at the tip. Belly white, marked with black.
Winter Adult The pink parts become greyish, upperparts greyer and the belly loses the streaks.

Similar Species

Bar-tailed Godwit whose bill has a slightly upcurved tip and narrowly barred tail. Hudsonian Godwit of the Americas is very similar. They can be distinguished in all plumages by their underwing patterns, white in Black-tailed and mostly dark in Hudsonian. However there are other differences. The bill is straight on Black-tailed, not noticeably upturned. Also Black-tailed has a broader, longer white wing stripe and broader white tail band (Hudsonian has less white in its tail).

Distribution

Breeds in northern Palearctic; winters to southern Africa, southern Asia and Australia.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 3 subspecies1:

  • L. l. islandica: Smaller, darker, with more extensive red on belly in Spring.
  • L. l. limosa: Larger, paler.
  • L. l. melanuroides: Similar to L. l. islandica, but decidedly smaller.
Adult in winter plumage, subspecies melanuroides
Photo © by SeeToh
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore, 21 August 2016

Habitat

Breeds on temperate freshwater wetlands with open grassland.
Winters on estuaries, mudflats and sandy shores. Also freshwater margins.

Behaviour

Flight

Fast and energetic. Outline cross-like

Diet

The diet includes insects, worms, snails, insects, crustaceans, and parts of aquatic plants.

Breeding

They nest on the ground, usually in short vegetation, laying 3-6 eggs.

Spring male in flight
Photo © by Joe52
Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK, 15 March 2016

Vocalisation

Flight Call: "wicka-wicka-wicka" <flashmp3>Limosa limosa (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

Molting adult in flight
Photo © by targetman
Lincolnshire, 3 September 2018

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. BirdLife International. 2017. Limosa limosa (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22693150A111611637. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22693150A111611637.en. Downloaded on 04 October 2018.
  3. Brazil, M. (2009) Birds of East Asia. Princeton Univ. Press.
  4. Chandler, R. (2009). Shorebirds of North America, Europe, and Asia: A photographic guide. Princeton.
  5. Engelmoer, M. & Roselaar, C. S. (1998): Geographical Variation in Waders. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Dordrecht.
  6. Höglund, J., Johansson, T., Beintema, A. & Schekkerman, H. (2009) Phylogeography of the Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa: substructuring revealed by mtDNA control region sequences. J. Orn. 150(1): 45-53.
  7. Rasmussen & Anderton. 2012. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Lynx Edicions
  8. Roselaar, C.S.; Gerritsen, Gerrit J. (1991). "Recognition of Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit and its occurrence in the Netherlands" (PDF). Dutch Birding. 13 (4): 128–135.
  9. Van Gils, J., Wiersma, P., Christie, D.A., Garcia, E.F.J. & Boesman, P. (2018). Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/53888 on 4 October 2018).
  10. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
  11. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition

Recommended Citation

External Links


Back
Top