Appearance:

Most likely to be confused with Bar-tailed Godwit, but easily recognized in flight by its contrasting black and white wings and tail. More difficult to identify when not flying. Generally much leggier, more elegant and upright than Bar-tailed, and with straighter bill. Tibia especially long. Summer plumage with barred/spotted belly (never in Bar-tailed), and orange base of bill. Juveniles with scaled back, not arrow-shaped streaking. Adult winter with mainly uniformly grey plumage, and short supercilium not reaching behind the eye.

Sound:

Quite vocal at breeding ground, but mostly silent elsewhere. Varied repertoire of mewing and sharp sounds, some resembling Bar-tailed, some almost lapwing-like. Most characteristic call is the display call; a sharp and mewing, rhythmic "kew-ku-weeewee". Generally the calls are evenly accentuated (as opposed to Bar-tailed).

Display call and contact calls:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sounds:Recorded by Patrick Åberg,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license

Appearance:

Very large brown owl. Usually identifiable by its size and brown tones alone. Long ear-tufts usually pointing to the sides (depending on mood). Face differs from Long-eared Owl in having rather dark and brownish facial disks, and much less prominent light eye-brows. Eyes orange. Lacks the pale base of primaries of Great Grey Owl. Flight powerful and more raptorlike than other owls, interspersed with long glides. Ear-tufts foldable, and less visible in flight.

Sound:

Song a very deep "ooho". Continuous, but disyllabic. First syllable emphasized and second syllable rapidly falling in pitch. Quite similar to Long-eared Owl, but deeper and with more pronounced pitch change at end ("release"). Frequency of calls also diagnostic: Typically 8-10 seconds between each "ooho" (2-3 seconds in Long-eared Owl ). Audible at 1 - 4 km distance. Both sexes sing. Has a rich repertoire of contact/alarm calls like a hoarse, heron-like "kreaaak", and an excited, bubbling "hohohohoh".

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:hehaden, Licence,Link,

CC-photo:martino.pizzol, Licence,Link,