Limosa fedoa

Marbled Godwit

Family: Scolopacidae · Class: Aves · Order: Charadriiformes

The Marbled Godwit is a large shorebird measuring 40-48 cm (16-19 inches) in length with a wingspan reaching 70-88 cm (28-35 inches). Adults weigh between 270-510 grams. The species displays cinnamon-buff to tawny-brown plumage with dark barring throughout, creating the distinctive marbled pattern that gives the bird its common name. The bill is long, straight to slightly upturned, measuring 8-13 cm, and ranges from pink at the base to dark at the tip. During breeding season, the underparts become more richly colored with heavier barring. In flight, the cinnamon-colored underwings are conspicuous, distinguishing it from other large shorebirds. Marbled Godwits breed primarily in the northern Great Plains of the United States and southern Canada, from Alberta and Saskatchewan south to Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The species winters along both Atlantic and Pacific coasts, with California supporting significant wintering populations. Along the Pacific Coast, they range from British Columbia to Baja California, Mexico. In California, wintering birds concentrate in coastal estuaries, bays, and mudflats from Humboldt Bay south to San Diego Bay, with particularly large numbers in San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, and Morro Bay. The species inhabits diverse wetland environments depending on season. Breeding habitat consists of native prairie grasslands, agricultural fields, and shallow wetland margins in the northern Great Plains. During migration and winter, Marbled Godwits utilize coastal mudflats, salt marshes, estuaries, sandy beaches, and shallow lagoons. They also forage in flooded agricultural fields and managed wetlands. The species shows fidelity to specific wintering sites, with some individuals returning to the same locations annually. Marbled Godwits are opportunistic foragers, using their long bills to probe deeply into mud and sand for invertebrates. Their diet includes marine worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. During the breeding season, they also consume terrestrial insects, small vertebrates, and some plant material. Breeding occurs from May through July, with pairs establishing territories in grassland areas near water. Females typically lay 4 olive-green eggs with dark spotting in a ground scrape lined with grass. Both parents incubate for 21-23 days and care for the precocial young, which fledge at approximately 3 weeks. The Marbled Godwit is not federally listed but faces conservation challenges. According to the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, the species has experienced moderate population declines since 1970, primarily due to habitat loss in breeding areas. Conversion of native prairie to agriculture has eliminated significant portions of breeding habitat. On wintering grounds, coastal development and sea level rise threaten critical foraging areas. The species is considered a species of continental conservation concern, with breeding bird survey data indicating population declines of approximately 2% annually since 1966. Climate change poses additional threats through altered precipitation patterns affecting prairie breeding habitat and rising sea levels impacting coastal wintering areas.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, and more.