Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 9.8–11.4 in
25–29 cm - Weight
- 3.2–4.2 oz
90–120 g
Other Names
- Bécassin roux (French)
- Agijeta gris, Costurero pico corto (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The nest and eggs of this species eluded discovery until 1906, and even that information was overlooked for a long while because they were attributed to the Long-billed Dowitcher. The nesting grounds of the eastern race were not discovered until the late 1950s.
- Although both sexes share incubation of the eggs, only the male takes care of the young once they hatch.
Habitat
Marsh
- Breeds in muskegs of taiga to timberline, and barely onto subarctic tundra.
- Winters on coastal mud flats and brackish lagoons.
- In migration prefers saltwater tidal flats, beaches, and salt marshes.
- Found in freshwater mud flats and flooded agricultural fields.
Food
Insects
Aquatic invertebrates. On breeding grounds eats fly larvae, other insects, snails, and some seeds.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 4 eggs
- Egg Description
- Light greenish-brown or live green with brown spotting of various intensity, always denser at the large end.
- Condition at Hatching
- Downy chicks able to walk immediately, can swim as soon as they are dry. Leave nest when all are hatched. Not fed by parents.
Nest Description
Nest a simple bowl in thick vegetation, usually on top of a clump of sedge, lined with dried grass, leaves, twigs, and ptarmigan feathers.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Probing
Male sings in flight on breeding grounds.Probes deeply into soft substances to the depth of the bill, sometimes submerging the head. Food is captured and swallowed under the mud, except for worms, which are pulled to the surface. Feeds in water up to the depth of the belly.
Conservation
Least Concern
No special status.
Credits
- Jehl, J. R., Jr., J. Klima, and R. E. Harris. Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus). In The Birds of North America, No. 564 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.