Limosa lapponica

Bar-tailed Godwit

Family: Scolopacidae · Class: Aves · Order: Charadriiformes

The Bar-tailed Godwit is a large shorebird with distinctive features that vary considerably between sexes and seasons. Adults measure 37 to 41 cm (14.5 to 16 inches) in length with a wingspan of 70 to 80 cm (28 to 31 inches). Females are notably larger than males, weighing 280 to 630 grams compared to males at 190 to 400 grams. The species displays pronounced sexual dimorphism in bill length, with females possessing bills measuring 8 to 11 cm (3.1 to 4.3 inches) compared to males at 6 to 9 cm (2.4 to 3.5 inches). The bill is pink at the base, darkening to black at the tip, and curves slightly upward. Breeding adults show rich chestnut-red underparts and barred upperparts in brown, black, and buff tones. Non-breeding plumage is more subdued, with gray-brown upperparts and pale underparts. In flight, the species displays a distinctive white rump patch contrasting with a dark tail that shows narrow white barring - the source of its common name. The Bar-tailed Godwit breeds in Arctic tundra across Alaska and northern Eurasia. In California, the species occurs as a regular but uncommon migrant and winter visitor along the Pacific Coast from August through May. The subspecies L. l. baueri, which breeds in Alaska, is the form most commonly observed in California. Primary wintering areas in the state include San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, Humboldt Bay, and various coastal lagoons and estuaries from Del Norte County south to San Diego County. During migration and winter residence in California, Bar-tailed Godwits inhabit intertidal mudflats, salt marshes, coastal lagoons, and sandy beaches. The species shows strong fidelity to specific foraging areas with extensive mudflats that support abundant invertebrate prey. They typically avoid rocky coastlines and prefer protected bays and estuaries where they can access prey during low tide periods. Bar-tailed Godwits are renowned for their exceptional migratory capabilities, with some individuals making non-stop flights exceeding 11,000 km (6,800 miles) from Alaska to New Zealand. The species feeds primarily by probing mud and sand with its sensitive bill, consuming polychaete worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and small fish. Foraging typically occurs during low tide when mudflats are exposed. The species is generally gregarious outside the breeding season, forming flocks that may number in the hundreds during peak migration periods in California. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Bar-tailed Godwit is classified as Near Threatened globally. Population declines have been documented across much of the species' range, attributed primarily to habitat loss at critical stopover and wintering sites. In California, coastal development, climate change impacts on intertidal ecosystems, and human disturbance at roosting sites represent ongoing conservation concerns. The species benefits from protected areas including national wildlife refuges and state ecological reserves that preserve essential mudflat and salt marsh habitats.

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