Bar-tailed Godwit

About

The Bar-tailed Godwit is a medium-sized, long-legged, and long-billed shorebird known for its extraordinary migratory flights. It is characterized by its slightly upturned bill and, in breeding plumage, a striking brick-red coloration on its underparts. Non-breeding birds are more subdued, appearing grey-brown. Its most distinctive feature, even in flight, is the barred tail and white rump, which contrasts with a dark tail band.

Size & lifespan

Length

37-41 cm (14.6-16.1 in)

Wingspan

70-82 cm (27.6-32.3 in)

Weight

Males: 190-400 g (6.7-14.1 oz), Females: 260-630 g (9.2-22.2 oz)

Lifespan

Up to 20 years in the wild, with an average of 10-15 years.

Diet

Carnivore (invertebrates)

Physical characteristics

Plumage

Non-breeding adults are grey-brown above, with fine streaking on the crown and nape, and a pale supercilium. Underparts are whitish, often with faint streaking on the breast and flanks. The rump is white, and the tail is barred dark brown and white. Breeding males develop rich brick-red to chestnut plumage on the head, neck, breast, and belly, with dark barring on the flanks. The back becomes mottled dark brown and rufous. Breeding females are similar but duller, with less extensive and paler rufous coloration, often with more streaking on the breast and flanks.

Beak shape

Long, slender, slightly upturned bill, pinkish at the base and dark towards the tip.

Eye color

Dark brown.

Leg color

Dark grey to blackish.

Distinguishing features

Long, slightly upturned bill; white rump and barred tail (visible in flight); lack of a distinct white wing-bar (unlike Black-tailed Godwit); in breeding plumage, extensive brick-red underparts.

Juvenile appearance

Juveniles resemble non-breeding adults but have a more buff or yellowish wash to the head, neck, and breast, and often have neat pale fringes to the upperpart feathers, giving a scaly appearance. The bill is shorter and straighter than adults.

Seasonal changes

Dramatic change from drab grey-brown non-breeding plumage to vibrant brick-red breeding plumage, particularly in males. Females also show rufous tones but are less intense.

Sexual dimorphism

Males are generally smaller and develop more intense and extensive brick-red plumage during the breeding season compared to females, which are larger and duller.

How to identify

1. 1

   Bill Shape

   Look for a long, slender bill that is distinctly (though sometimes subtly) upturned. Pinkish at the base, dark at the tip.

2. 2

   Rump and Tail

   In flight, observe the white rump contrasting with a dark-barred tail. This is a key differentiator from the Black-tailed Godwit (all black tail) and Hudsonian Godwit (black tail).

3. 3

   Plumage (Breeding)

   Males in breeding plumage are unmistakable with their extensive, rich brick-red coloration on the head, neck, breast, and belly. Females are similar but duller.

4. 4

   Plumage (Non-breeding)

   Non-breeding birds are grey-brown above and whitish below. Look for the pale supercilium and fine streaking on the breast and flanks.

5. 5

   Lack of Wing-bar

   Unlike the Black-tailed Godwit, the Bar-tailed Godwit lacks a prominent white wing-bar in flight, though a faint pale trailing edge to the wing may be visible.

6. 6

   Size and Structure

   A medium-large shorebird with relatively short legs for a godwit, giving it a somewhat stockier appearance than the Black-tailed Godwit.

Habitat & range

Biomes

Tundra, coastal wetlands, estuaries, mudflats, sandy beaches.

Geographic range

Breeds in Arctic tundra across northern Eurasia and Alaska. Winters on coasts of Western Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.

Elevation range

Primarily found at sea level, occasionally in low-lying inland wetlands during migration.

Preferred environments

During breeding, wet tundra with sedges, mosses, and dwarf shrubs. During migration and winter, coastal estuaries, intertidal mudflats, sandy shores, and sheltered bays rich in invertebrate prey.

Behavior

Activity time

Diurnal, primarily feeding during low tide periods, both day and night.

Feeding habits

Probes deeply into soft mud or sand with its long bill, using sensitive nerve endings at the bill tip to detect prey. Feeds primarily on marine worms (polychaetes), bivalves, crustaceans, and insect larvae. Often feeds in flocks, moving systematically across mudflats.

Social behavior

Highly gregarious outside the breeding season, forming large flocks, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands, especially at migratory staging and wintering sites. More solitary or in loose pairs during breeding.

Flight pattern

Strong, direct flight with rapid wingbeats. In migration, forms large V-formations or irregular flocks. The white rump and barred tail are prominent in flight.

Migration pattern

One of the most extreme long-distance migrants, undertaking non-stop flights of thousands of kilometers. The 'baueri' subspecies holds the record for the longest non-stop bird migration, flying over 11,000 km (7,000 miles) from Alaska to New Zealand. Migrates south from Arctic breeding grounds in late summer/autumn and returns north in spring.

Territoriality

During the breeding season, pairs defend a small nesting territory. Highly social and non-territorial during migration and wintering.

Breeding & reproduction

Breeding season

Late May to July.

Nesting habits

Nests on the ground in open tundra, often near water. The nest is a shallow scrape lined with moss, lichens, and leaves, typically concealed by low vegetation.

Clutch size

Usually 4 eggs.

Egg description

Typically 4 eggs, olive-green to olive-brown, heavily spotted and blotched with dark brown or black. Average size is about 55 x 38 mm.

Incubation period

20-22 days, shared by both parents.

Fledging period

Chicks are precocial and leave the nest shortly after hatching. They fledge (become capable of flight) at approximately 28-31 days.

Parental care

Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the young. Females often depart for migration earlier, leaving the male to care for the chicks until they fledge.

Where to find

Field tips

1. Tide Watching. Bar-tailed Godwits are most active and visible during low tide when mudflats are exposed for feeding. Plan your visits to coastal areas accordingly.
2. Scan Flocks. They often occur in large mixed flocks with other shorebirds. Carefully scan these flocks for their distinctive bill shape, rump, and tail patterns.
3. Migration Hotspots. Visit known migratory staging areas, such as the Wadden Sea in Europe or the Yellow Sea in East Asia, during spring and autumn migration for spectacular concentrations.
4. Binoculars/Scope. Due to their often distant feeding locations on mudflats, good quality binoculars and a spotting scope are essential for detailed observation and identification.

Similar species

Quick facts

Record Migrant:

Holds the record for the longest non-stop migratory flight of any bird (over 11,000 km).

Bill Probing:

Uses its sensitive bill tip to detect prey buried deep in mud and sand.

Sexual Dimorphism:

Males are smaller and more brightly colored in breeding plumage than females.

Conservation Concern:

Listed as Near Threatened due to habitat loss and degradation along migratory routes, particularly in the Yellow Sea region.

Fun facts

• Before their epic non-stop migrations, Bar-tailed Godwits undergo a remarkable physiological transformation, shrinking their digestive organs and storing massive amounts of fat to fuel their journey.
• The 'baueri' subspecies, which breeds in Alaska and winters in New Zealand, undertakes the longest known non-stop migratory flight of any bird, covering distances of over 11,000 kilometers (7,000 miles) without rest or food.
• Satellite tracking has revealed the incredible precision of their migratory routes, often returning to the same small patches of mudflat year after year.
• Their scientific name 'Limosa lapponica' refers to 'muddy' (Limosa) and 'Lapland' (lapponica), indicating their preferred habitat and a region where they breed.

Scientific classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Scolopacidae

Genus

Limosa

Species

Limosa lapponica

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