Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 16.5–18.9 in
42–48 cm - Weight
- 10.1–16 oz
285–454 g
Other Names
- Barge marbrée (French)
- Picopando canelo (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Nests of the Marbled Godwit are not easily found, as these birds do not readily flush off of their eggs. Incubating adults can sometimes be picked up from the nest.
- The Marbled Godwit was long regarded as showing no noticeable geographic variation until measurements of birds breeding in Alaska showed these populations to have shorter wings and legs than Great Plains godwits.
Habitat
Marsh
Breeds in marshes and flooded plains, in migration and winter also on mudflats and beaches.
Food
Insects
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 3–5 eggs
- Condition at Hatching
- Active and covered with down.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Probing
Conservation
Least Concern
Declined dramatically in 1800s. Current populations appear stable.
Credits
- Gratto-Trevor, C. L. 2000. Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa). In The Birds of North America, No. 492 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.