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8

Black-tailed Godwit

(Limosa limosa)
Size: 36-44 cm; wing span 70-82 cm
Weight: 280 g (male), 340 g (female) averages; range: 150-500 g

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Black-tailed Godwit at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "melanuroides"

This race is also called the "Asian Black-tailed Godwit".

ADULT

Sex unknown

NON-BREEDING

Lateral view of a Black-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage foraging in a settlement pond (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

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

Black-tailed Godwits in non-breeding plumage with Great Knots in the background (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Lateral view of Black-tailed Godwits in non-breeding plumage taking off (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Lateral view of Black-tailed Godwits in non-breeding plumage in low flight - note the clearly visible black tails
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Lateral view of Black-tailed Godwits in non-breeding plumage in low flight - note the clearly visible black tails
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, October 2018]

Lateral view of a Black-tailed Godwit in-flight, together with two Radjah Shelducks (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, November 2018]

Near-dorsal view oBlack-tailed Godwits in flight, together with a number of Great Knots, all in non-breeding plumage; the Black-tailed Godwits are the birds with the prominent white underwings, white wing bars, white rump and black tail
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Buffalo Creek Beach, Darwin, NT, January 2016]

Race "limosa"

Photos of Black-tailed Godwits, nominate race "limosa", were taken in Europe.

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

bltgodw_dw_20190414.m4a limosa
(Poland)
Contact calls(?) © DW
bltgodw_jp_20200117.m4a limosa
(Portugal)
? (large flock) © JP

More Black-tailed Godwit sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.