Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus (Say, 1822)

≈29 cmLength49 cmWingspan104 gWeight

This stout shorebird has a bill about twice the length of its head and resembles Short-billed Dowitcher.

Busiest months: April · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Looks like Short-billed Dowitcher

Near Threatened

How to identify

Field marks

Bill usually very straight, about twice the length of the head
White supercilium and dark band across the lores
Tail with black-and-white stripes; large white rump patch extends to the middle of the back
Neck, breast and belly reddish-brown in breeding plumage; crown dark

Male, female and young

Sexes almost identical; female usually heavier, with longer wings and bill; juvenile resembles an adult in breeding plumage but is paler.

Voice

A high-pitched, sharp “keek” in flight or on the ground, sometimes joined into accelerating double or triple notes.

Similar species

Short-billed Dowitcher

Almost identical in winter plumage; flight call is the best distinction; Long-billed Dowitcher favors freshwater, while Short-billed Dowitcher favors saltwater.

Where and when it's recorded

Long-billed Dowitcher has been recorded at 853 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 63 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water RanchUnited States19,318 records
Estero Llano Grande SP WBCUnited States13,711 records
IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, IrvineUnited States10,307 records

More places

Willcox – Lake Cochise and Twin Lakes Golf CourseUnited States9,127 records
Reifel Bird SanctuaryCanada8,010 records
Santa Ana NWRUnited States6,817 records
Glendale Recharge PondsUnited States6,140 records
Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Ctr.United States5,757 records
Hagerman NWRUnited States5,111 records
Arcata Marsh and Wildlife SanctuaryUnited States4,654 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Canada Mexico United Kingdom China U.S. Outlying Islands Belize Japan

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The long-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) is a medium-sized shorebird with a relatively long bill belonging to the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. They feed in various freshwater habitats with their bill underwater in a "sewing machine" motion and have a mating display where males chase females in flight. The genus, Limnodromus is Ancient Greek from limne, "marsh" and dromos, "racer".

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Long-billed Dowitcher?

The Long-billed Dowitcher is about ≈29 cm long, with a wingspan of 49 cm and weighs around 104 g.

Where does the Long-billed Dowitcher live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic, North America: low Arctic to subarctic wet meadows of eastern Palearctic and western Nearctic: Lena River to eastern Chukotskiy Peninsula and south to Anadyr Peninsula (northeastern Siberia); St. Lawrence Island (Bering Sea; rare), western Alaska and northern Northwest Territories (north-central Canada). It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Long-billed Dowitcher?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Long-billed Dowitcher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Long-billed Dowitcher as Near Threatened.

What does the Long-billed Dowitcher eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Long-billed Dowitcher in?

It belongs to the family Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Length: ≈29 cm
Wingspan: 49 cm
Weight: 104 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Migratory
Conservation: Near Threatened

More measurements

Wing: 146 mm
Tail: 56 mm
Bill: 71 mm
Tarsus: 39 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Palearctic, North America: low Arctic to subarctic wet meadows of eastern Palearctic and western Nearctic: Lena River to eastern Chukotskiy Peninsula and south to Anadyr Peninsula (northeastern Siberia); St. Lawrence Island (Bering Sea; rare), western Alaska and northern Northwest Territories (north-central Canada)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2