Bar-Tailed Godwit

Scientific name: Limosa lapponica

Did you know: The Bar-Tailed Godwit is celebrated for its epic non-stop flights, with some individuals soaring up to nine days without a break, spanning incredible distances from the UK all the way to New Zealand!

What Do Bar-Tailed Godwits Look Like? (how to identify them)

The Bar-Tailed Godwit, a striking figure on the UK’s shores, sports a slender build with a notably upturned bill.

These birds exhibit a rust-coloured head, neck, and breast during the breeding season, contrasting sharply with their paler underparts and distinctively white-barred black tail.

Their wings, long and streamlined, facilitate their renowned long-distance flights. Typically, these godwits stand about 37 to 40 cm in length and weigh between 230 to 455 grams.

Differences Between Male And Female Bar-Tailed Godwits

Male and female Bar-Tailed Godwits can be differentiated by their size and colour intensity. Males generally boast a more vivid, brick-red plumage compared to the females’ somewhat muted tones, particularly visible during the breeding season.

What Do Bar-Tailed Godwits Eat?

Bar-Tailed Godwits have a diet primarily consisting of shellfish, marine snails, and worms, plucked from coastal mudflats.

Their long, sensitive bills are perfectly adapted to probe deep into the sand, extracting nutritious prey from beneath the surface.

Where Do Bar-Tailed Godwits Live? (inc. migration info)

These birds breed in the Arctic reaches of Scandinavia and Siberia and are a familiar sight along the UK coastline during the winter months.

The Bar-Tailed Godwit’s migration is a spectacle of endurance and precision, with some travelling as far as the southern hemispheres of Australia and New Zealand, showcasing one of nature’s most extraordinary feats of navigation.

Bird Calls & Songs (the unique voices of Bar-Tailed Godwits)

The male Bar-Tailed Godwit uses his melodic and complex song as a dual tool to charm his mate and ward off rivals. This distinctive call adds a musical backdrop to the otherwise tranquil coastal habitats they frequent.

Fun Bar-Tailed Godwit Facts (kid friendly)

Some Bar-Tailed Godwits fly over 11,000 km from Alaska to New Zealand without stopping!
Their favourite feeding grounds are the squishy, muddy flats where they can dig for snacks.
Their long legs aren’t just for wading through water, but also help them upon landing and taking off.
Males sing beautifully to impress the females during mating season.
Watch them change colours with the seasons – from a greyish tone in winter to a vibrant red in summer.
Before their long migration, godwits bulk up on food to double their body weight!

Bar-Tailed Godwit Video

Facts About The Bar-Tailed Godwit

Diet: They mainly eat shellfish, marine snails, worms and shrimps.
Length: 37 - 40cm
Wingspan: 70 - 80cm
Weight: 230 - 455g
Scientific Name: Limosa lapponica