Topography (Anatomy and explanation)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Description of main identification features in chosen species' appearance. Some bird anatomy terms are used, and it may be useful to study the photos above to learn them. All text written by Audun Eriksen.
Sound:Description of song and calls, and what to listen for in the audio files, and when learning the species. Some music terminology is used. Timbre: tone colour or tone quality. Ritardando: Tempo slowing down gradually. Register break: abrupt change in pitch due to sudden jump in resonating length of throat (typically in long-necked birds).
Distribution: Ecology:Link to webpage describing ecology and population of the species.
Links:
A collection of hyperlinks for each species can be found here. You can easily see latest observations, additional photos/sounds and watch videos of the species without having to search for the species name.
CCCreative Commons licenced photos and sounds are listed here with links. For media not listed, usage is permitted by direct appointment with copyright owner. See watermark on photos.
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
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSounds:Recorded by Patrick Åberg,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license