Appearance:

Summer: Black throat framed in fine white stripes at the sides, and a chequered black back. Winter: More contrast between dark and white parts than in Red-Throated Diver. Marked transition between dark neck and white front, and the dark grey crown extends below the eye. In all plumages: Heavier neck and bill than Red-Throated, and bill usually held straight. Visibly protruding chest when swimming. Head shape sometimes squarish. Usually shows big white flank patch.

Sound:

Song: a strong, very resonant, full bodied, low whistling with most syllables rising in pitch: "co clooo-eee, co clooo-eee, co clooo-eee". Also a short grunting "karr".

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

Appearance:

Most likely to be confused with Black-tailed Godwit, but easily recognized in flight by plain dark wings, white wedge on back and barred tail. More difficult to identify when not flying. Generally more compact, heavier built and less upright than Black-tailed, and with clearly upcurved bill and shorter legs. Belly always unmarked. Base of bill dark in summer and pinkish in winter and in juveniles. Back with arrow-shaped streaking. Adult winter also streaked, and the pale supercilium reaches behind the eye.

Sound:

Quite vocal at breeding ground but mostly silent elsewhere. Varied repertoire of mewing and sharp sounds, some resembling Black-tailed, some almost Snipe-like. Contact call a sharp "kwee-kee-wee-kee", with alternating high and low pitch, and decreasing intensity. Display call a hard and sharp "kuwek-kuwek-kuwek-kuwek", with emphasis on second syllable.

Display:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

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