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Asian Dowitcher
(Limnodromus semipalmatus)
Size: 33-36 cm (female larger)
Weight: 145-235 g
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Asian Dowitchers are medium-sized waders.
When seen in Australia, Asian Dowitchers are usually in
eclipse
plumage.
The plumage is
all white and grey, the upperparts being darker than the
underparts. Most of the head is streaked mid-grey with
light-grey to white, with grey eye-stripes and prominent
white supercilia. The chest and flanks are streaked grey,
while the rest of the underparts are white. The upperparts
are mostly mid-grey with prominent white edge lining on the
wing feathers. The scapulars have darker-grey spines.
The tips of the folded wings do not reach the tip of the
tail. In flight the toes trail far behind the tip of the
tail.
Their most prominent feature in
eclipse
is the long, strong, straight black bill, with a slightly thicker
tip.
The irises are dark; legs and feet are dark-grey.
Juveniles resemble
adults,
but they do not have streaks or chevrons on the flanks yet.
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Twitcher's tip |
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The correct identification of waders ("shorebirds"), e.g. of the
Calidris, Tringa, Actitis and
related families or of the Charadrius, Pluvialis and related genera
in the field can be quite tricky. We have therefore made an attempt to
give some advice HERE.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Asian
Dowitcher at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Asian Dowitcher is available
HERE
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The breeding distribution of the Asian Dowitcher, in grassy
wetlands of northern Asia, is not well-studied.
During their migration southwards and in their overwintering
quarters they are found mostly in far-eastern and south-eastern
Asia and in some locations in Australia and New Zealand, but
their winter distribution is also rather uncertain.
In Australia Asian Dowitchers are uncommon non-breeding migrants
from the North.
Most are found along the North coast of WA, as far westward as
Barrow Island, and along a chain of
off-shore islands towards the Lesser Sunda Islands. Apart from
Darwin, NT, they are hardly ever seen along the rest of the
Australian North coast. There are more reports of sightings
along the East coast, in particular from an area spanning from
about Bundaberg to Brisbane, QLD.
During migration and while overwintering
Asian Dowitchers have a preference for coastal wetlands.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
M. Eaton found an Asian Dowitcher at the Port of Brisbane Wader
Roost, Brisbane, QLD, in December 2018.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this page
has been kindly contributed by M. Eaton.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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NON-BREEDING |
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Lateral view of a Asian Dowitcher in non-breeding
plumage;
note how the wing tips end short of the tip of the tail
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, December 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Asian Dowitcher in non-breeding
plumage;
not the all-black bill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, December 2018]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
