🐦

Black-tailed Godwit

Limosa limosa

Not yet photographed by the community

Orange-red in summer; black-and-white wing pattern in flight.

Species Profile

Amber List (breeding population declining; winter visitors stable)

Lifespan: 12–15 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 40–42 cm, wingspan 70–82 cm; 190–340 g
Habitat: Breeds on wet grasslands, marshes, and fens; winters on estuaries, coastal mudflats, and inland wetlands.
UK Distribution: Breeds locally in England (particularly East Anglia and the Midlands) and Wales; much larger numbers winter on UK coasts and estuaries, with populations supplemented by continental migrants from August to April.
Diet: Probes in mud and soil for invertebrates; also picks food from the surface and in shallow water.
Prey: Earthworms, insect larvae, small crustaceans, and molluscs
Predators: Foxes, stoats, and corvids (for eggs and chicks); raptors such as Peregrines and Merlins (for adults)
Mating Season: April to June
Breeding: Clutch of 3–4 eggs; incubation period 22–24 days; single brood per year; chicks fledge at 30–35 days old.
Behaviour: Highly vocal and territorial during breeding season, performing elaborate aerial displays. Forms large flocks on wintering grounds, often mixing with other wader species. Uses its long, slightly upturned bill to probe deep into soft substrates.

Did You Know?

•The Black-tailed Godwit is one of the longest-distance migrants among British breeding waders, with some individuals wintering in West Africa.
•Males perform a striking 'tumbling' display flight during courtship, calling loudly as they descend with stiff wings.
•The species underwent a dramatic breeding range contraction in the UK during the 20th century due to wetland loss and drainage.
•Godwits can fly non-stop for over 6,000 km during migration, navigating by the sun and magnetic fields.
•In winter plumage, the bird is a dull grey-brown, but breeding birds develop striking rufous and black markings, particularly on the head and breast.

🐦

No photos yet

Be the first to photograph a Black-tailed Godwit and share it with the community.