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Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) Alternate name(s): "Bar-rumped Godwit" Size: 37-39 cm; wing span: 70-80 cm Body mass: 190-400 g (male), 260-630 g (female) Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.54/0.87 (male, lean/fat), 0.62/1.15 (female, lean/fat)

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Bar-tailed Godwits are medium-sized waders. When seen in Australia, Black-tailed Godwits are usually in eclipse plumage, which is highly cryptic. The head has a brownish cap; the rest of the head, neck and chest is greyish-brown with some lighter streaking. The belly, vent and undertail coverts are creamy. The back and wings are greyish-brown, with light edge lining and darker centre stripes on the wing feathers. The short tail has a bar pattern on the underside. During the breeding season most of the front and the head is chestnut-red. The eyes of both sexes have dark irises. Bar-tailed Godwits have a very long, dark grey-tipped pinkish, minimally upcurved bill that is about 2-3 times as long as the size of the head. The differences between the two sexes are that males are smaller and have shorter bills than females. The long legs and the feet are dark-grey. Twitcher's tip For identification, primarily in non-breeding plumage, it is useful to know that, compared with both Black-tailed Godwits and Hudsonian Godwits, Bar-tailed Godwits have much longer supercilia that extend well beyond the eyes. Compared with Black-tailed Godwits, Bar-tailed Godwits have more colour contrast in their non-breeding plumage. During the breeding season their belly is the colour of the front and head. 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.

Taxonomy, classification See Bar-tailed Godwit at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species 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 . The global distribution of the Bar-tailed Godwit is available HERE . Bar-tailed Godwits are a highly migratory species. There are three races, all of which breed in subarctic regions. Nominate race "lapponica" breeds from northern Scandinavia eastwards to the Taymyr Peninsula. They migrate South to spend the winters along the West coasts of Europe and Africa, from the British Isles and the Netherlands southwards to South Africa, and also around the Persian Gulf. Race "menzbieri" breeds in north-eastern Asia, from the Taymyr Peninsula eastwards to the Kolyma River delta. They spend the northern winters in South-east Asia and western Australia. The eastern-most race, "baueri", breeds in far north-eastern Asia, to the East of the Kolyma River, and western Alaska; they spend the northern winters in eastern Australia and in New Zealand. Bird trivia: The Bar-tailed Godwit is the bird with the longest migration of all birds and the animal with the longest non-stop journey without feeding. Bar-tailed Godwits are non-breeding migrants to Australia from the North. Race "menzbieri" usually reach the continent westward of the Kimberley in WA and settle mostly along the coastline of WA to the South of the Fitzroy River. Race "baueri" reach the continent eastward of the Kimberley, WA, and migrate down the entire East coast and part of the South coast, to about Melbourne, VIC. They are also found around Adelaide, SA. Given the right conditions (i.e., significant rainfall), they will occasionally venture into the tropical North (Kimberley, Top End of the NT) and the entire eastern half of the Australian continent, with two exceptions: They do not go into the Great Dividing Range or Tasmania. They are not found in the south-western part of the NT, the western half of SA or anywhere in WA other than the coastal fringe and the Kimberley. They also avoid the South coast around the Nullarbor, along the WA/SA border. Bar-tailed Godwits have a preference for sandbanks and also intertidal wetlands, including mudflats.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "baueri" A small mob of Bar-tailed Godwits, race "baueri", was first spotted by us at the Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, in January 2011. Since then they are seen by us regularly during the non-breeding season in the same location. Several Bar-tailed Godwits, race "baueri", were spotted by us in salt marshes in the estuary of the Manning River near Old Bar, NSW, in June 2011 and again in September 2011. A small flock of about 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, race "baueri", was found by us at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake about 30 km South of Gunnedah, NSW, in October 2011, when the lake had been full for about half a year. No birds of this species had been seen there during several previous visits and none have been spotted until the lake eventually dried up again. M. Mearns reports spotting Bar-tailed Godwits, race "baueri", on Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, in January 2016. M. Eaton reports spotting Bar-tailed Godwits, race "baueri", semi-regularly in various locations along the coastline of south-eastern QLD and also in Cairns, QLD, in July 2018. Various contributors report finding Bar-tailed Godwits, race "baueri", semi-regularly on beaches in and around Darwin, NT. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports spotting Bar-tailed Godwits, race "baueri", at the Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, in September 2020. Race "menzbieri" C. Pears found a Bar-tailed Godwit, race "menzbieri", in Esperance, WA, in May 2011. D. Dyer reports finding Bar-tailed Godwits, race "menzbieri", in Ronsard Bay, Cervantes, WA, in May 2014. B. Hensen reports spotting Bar-tailed Godwits, race "menzbieri", at Lee Point, Darwin, NT, in August 2017. M. Eaton found tens of Bar-tailed Godwits, race "menzbieri", at Campsite Beach, Roebuck Bay, near Broome, WA, in June 2026. Race "lapponica" Bar-tailed Godwits, nominate race "lapponica", were seen by us in Oman and in Europe.

Photos

Race "baueri"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
The most secure way to tell male and female Bar-tailed Godwit apart, especially when they are in non-breeding plumage, is by the length of the bill. The photos chosen here were scaled to make the heads of both birds appear at about the same size. Note how the male's bill, left, is shorter (ca. 2x the size of the head) than the female's (ca. 2.5-3x the size of the head).

BREEDING

Bar-tailed Godwits have the peculiarity that females tend not to moult pre-migration, while males may (but don't always) moult before leaving. Hence all Bar-tailed Godwits found in Australia around February/March in (near-)breeding plumage will be males.

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in near-breeding plumage; note the rather short bill, with a length of about twice the size of the head (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, February 2018]

Near-frontal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in near-breeding plumage, front, with another one in non-breeding plumage behind (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Deception Bay, QLD, February 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in near-breeding plumage, front, with another male in non-breeding plumage behind (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Deception Bay, QLD, February 2018]

Close-up lateral view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in near-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Deception Bay, QLD, February 2018]

Lateral view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in near-breeding plumage, right, with a female in non-breeding plumage demonstrating why females have the longer "chopsticks" (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2020]

Lateral view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in near-breeding plumage, left, with a female in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in near-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Deception Bay, QLD, February 2018]

Dorsal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in near-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, March 2020]

Bar-tailed Godwits, some of which (males; chestnut front) are moulting into breeding plumage, here seen together with two Great Knots (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

Bar-tailed Godwits, one of which (male; chestnut front) is moulting into breeding plumage, here seen together with lots of Curlew Sandpipers and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Stockton Sand Spit, near Newcastle, NSW, February 2018]

NON-BREEDING

MALE

Frontal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage
[Near Old Bar, NSW, June 2011]

Near-frontal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Near-lateral view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Deception Bay, QLD, February 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Deception Bay, QLD, February 2018]

Lateral view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage seen strutting through shallow water
[Near Old Bar, NSW, June 2011]

Lateral view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit, right, together with a Black-tailed Godwit, left, both in non-breeding plumage; in the foreground a number of Great Knots in transitional and non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]

Near-dorsal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, January 2011]

Near-dorsal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit poking around in mud
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, January 2011]

Near-dorsal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit, now preening...

Near-dorsal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit, now doing something else...
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, January 2011]

Near-dorsal view of a male Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Dorsal view of a snoozing male Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul wader roost, Brisbane, QLD, January 2018]

FEMALE

Close-up near-frontal view of a female Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage, with another in the background
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, September 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a female Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage; note the long bill, with a length of about 2.5-3x the size of the head (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, December 2018]

Lateral view of a female Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage in a mudflat
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, March 2015]

Lateral view of a female Bar-tailed Godwit touching down, thereby displaying very prominently not only its underwing pattern, but also the characteristic (and name-giving) barred tail
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, September 2016]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage digging up prey in a mudflat (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Inskip Point, QLD, December 2017]

Lateral view of a Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Airlie Beach, QLD, July 2021]

Bar-tailed Godwits in non-breeding plumage, together with (smaller) Grey-tailed Tattlers (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Foreshore, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Bar-tailed Godwit in flight
[Near Old Bar, NSW, June 2011]

Near-frontal view of a small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits flying towards the observer
[Near Old Bar, NSW, September 2011]

Lateral view of a small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits in flight seen by us at an ephemeral lake
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, October 2011]

Near-dorsal view of a small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits in flight; note their name-giving barred tails
[Near Old Bar, NSW, September 2011]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-frontal view of a Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage, right, with a second, more buff-tinted bird with a visibly shorter bill, left, that may be a juvenile (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Ronsard Bay, Cervantes, WA, May 2014]

Race "menzbieri"

ADULT

Sex unknown

NON-BREEDING

Lateral view of a Bar-tailed Godwit in comparison with 3 Australian Pied Oystercatchers
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Esperance, WA, May 2011]

Near-dorsal view of Bar-tailed Godwits in flight; note how the white bars go well up the back of the birds, which is characteristic for this race (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, August 2017]

Additional information

Comparison with Grey-tailed Tattler

A series of photos comparing a Grey-tailed Tattler with a Bar-tailed Godwit is available HERE.

Race "lapponica"

Photos of nominate race "lapponica" were obtained by us in Oman and in Europe.

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Flock

Food, Diet

Bar-tailed Godwits feed on animals they dig out of the soil in marshes with their long bills, such e.g. molluscs, worms or crabs.

Near-dorsal view of a Bar-tailed Godwit carrying away its breakfast, a mud crab
[Near Old Bar, NSW, June 2011]

Near-lateral view of a female Bar-tailed Godwit with its prey, a mollusc
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, March 2015]

Frontal view of a female Bar-tailed Godwit that has dug up a worm from a mudflat
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, March 2015]

Lateral view of a female Bar-tailed Godwit foraging in the sand of a mudflat
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, March 2015]

Lateral view of Bar-tailed Godwits foraging, not - as one usually observes - at the water's edge, but ontop of a sand dune
[Near Old Bar, NSW, June 2011]

Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage digging up prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, December 2018]

Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage and a big mud crab - it is part of survival to know when one is too big to be preyed upon... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, December 2018]

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