Species names in all available languages
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | Hudsonbaaigriet |
| Bulgarian | Канадски крайбрежен бекас |
| Catalan | tètol de Hudson |
| Croatian | američka muljača |
| Czech | břehouš aljašský |
| Danish | Canadisk Kobbersneppe |
| Dutch | Rode Grutto |
| English | Hudsonian Godwit |
| English (United States) | Hudsonian Godwit |
| Finnish | eskimokuiri |
| French | Barge hudsonienne |
| French (France) | Barge hudsonienne |
| German | Hudsonschnepfe |
| Greek | Αμερικανική Λιμόζα |
| Haitian Creole (Haiti) | Kouli vant blanch |
| Hebrew | לימוזה אמריקנית |
| Hungarian | Feketeszárnyú goda |
| Icelandic | Mýrajaðrakan |
| Japanese | アメリカオグロシギ |
| Korean | 캐나다흑꼬리도요 |
| Lithuanian | Kanadinis griciukas |
| Norwegian | svartvingespove |
| Polish | szlamnik amerykański |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | maçarico-de-bico-virado |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | Maçaricão-de-bico-virado |
| Romanian | Sitar de mal cu aripi negre |
| Russian | Канадский веретенник |
| Serbian | Američka muljača |
| Slovak | brehár jarabý |
| Slovenian | Pepelasti kljunač |
| Spanish | Aguja Café |
| Spanish (Argentina) | Becasa de Mar |
| Spanish (Chile) | Zarapito de pico recto |
| Spanish (Costa Rica) | Aguja Lomiblanca |
| Spanish (Cuba) | Avoceta pechirroja |
| Spanish (Dominican Republic) | Barga Aliblanca |
| Spanish (Ecuador) | Aguja Hudsoniana (de Hudson) |
| Spanish (Honduras) | Picopando del Este |
| Spanish (Mexico) | Picopando del Este |
| Spanish (Panama) | Aguja Lomiblanca |
| Spanish (Paraguay) | Becasa de mar |
| Spanish (Peru) | Aguja de Mar |
| Spanish (Puerto Rico) | Barga Aliblanca |
| Spanish (Spain) | Aguja café |
| Spanish (Uruguay) | Becasa de Mar |
| Spanish (Venezuela) | Becasa de Mar |
| Swedish | hudsonspov |
| Turkish | Hudson Çamurçulluğu |
| Ukrainian | Грицик канадський |
Revision Notes
Gabriela Contreras revised the account as part of a partnership with the Red de Observadores de Aves de Chile (ROC). Peter Pyle contributed to the Plumages, Molts, and Structure page. Guy M. Kirwan contributed to the Systematics page. Daphne K. Walmer, Robin K. Murie, and JoAnn Hackos copyedited the account. Arnau Bonan Barfull curated the media. Eliza Wein updated the distribution map.
Limosa haemastica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Definitions
- LIMOSA
- limosa
- haemastica
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica Scientific name definitions
Version: 1.1 — Published February 9, 2024
Photos from this Account
Breeding adult
Large shorebird with a long slightly upturned bicolored bill. Breeding birds have a rusty belly and a dark brown mottled back.
Juvenile
Large shorebird with a long upswept bill. Juveniles have a white eyebrow and a plain buffy gray belly.
Nonbreeding adult
In flight the white rump patch and dark underwings are visible.
Breeding adult
In flight, note dark underwings and white rump patch.
Molting adult
Molting adult
Juvenile
Juvenile (with Black-bellied Plover)
Most frequently seen singly or in small groups often feeding with other shorebirds during migration. Juveniles have an unmarked dusky belly.
Breeding adult
Male Hudsonian Godwit in Alternate plumage.
Hudsonian Godwit.
Possible confusion species: Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa).
Black-tailed Godwit (subspecies limosa) has white underwing, white wing-linings; a broader, longer, wing-stripe; and a broader white band on the rear upperparts that is at least the breadth of the black tail-band.
Possible confusion species: Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa).
Black-tailed Godwit (subspecies limosa) showing its white underwing.
Hudsonian Godwit.
Possible confusion species: Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa).
Marbled Godwit is predominantly cinnamon-brown and lacks conspicuous wing-stripe and tail pattern.
Possible confusion species: Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa).
Marbled Godwit showing its wing and tail patterns.
Hudsonian Godwit.
Possible confusion species: Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica).
Bar-tailed Godwit (subspecies lapponica) lacks an obvious wing-stripe and a wide black tail-band, with more extensive white on tail, a triangular extension up the lower back and barring to tail tip.
Possible confusion species: Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica).
Bar-tailed Godwit (subspecies baueri) lacks an obvious wing-stripe and a wide black tail-band, and lacks extensive white on tail entirely.
Hudsonian Godwit in Basic plumage.
Possible confusion species: Willet (Tringa semipalmata).
Willet has shorter, heavier, and darker bill and blue-gray legs.
Possible confusion species: Willet (Tringa semipalmata).
Willet showing its bill pattern.
Natal Down in Hudsonian Godwit.
Ground color described as buff, pale pinkish buff, and pinkish gray, darker on lower neck, sides of breast and thighs. Squarish crown-patch solidly dark surrounded by a few smaller patches including one on either corner at rear. Additional dark areas on wings, sides, and back of body; upper throat and belly grayish white
Natal Down in Hudsonian Godwit.
Squarish crown-patch solidly dark; narrow dark line from crown-patch to base of bill, and two others from bill to anterior corner of eyes.
Natal Down in Hudsonian Godwit.
Squarish crown-patch solidly dark surrounded by a few smaller patches including one on either corner at rear; narrow dark line from crown-patch to base of bill, and another dark line usually runs from crown-patch to markings on back. Intense dark, almost black, markings on back somewhat variable but exhibiting consistent patterns, with pale center between wings and brighter highlights to upperparts orange–red in color.
Juvenile Hudsonian Godwit.
Mantle and scapulars dark drab to light drab, with sepia streaks along shaft and subterminal bar. Tertials with large buff notches. Upperwing median and greater coverts edged and tipped with white; differ from coverts of Definitive Basic Plumage by having indistinct, dusky, anchor-shaped patterns when fresh.
Juvenile Hudsonian Godwit.
Note bar-shaped patterns to mantle feathers and anchor-shaped patterns to upperwing secondary coverts. Throat white; neck and upper breast drab; belly and undertail coverts off-white, the sides of vent with small dark streaks.
Juvenile Hudsonian Godwit.
Juvenile primaries and secondaries, narrower and more pointed or rounded at the tips than basic feathers. Remiges, primary coverts, and alula dark brown; bases to secondaries and innermost primaries (p1 to p5/p6) and tips to inner greater primary coverts white, forming wing-stripe. Rectrices narrower, more rounded at the tips, and browner than basic rectrices, with white bases and tips.
Formative Hudsonian Godwit.
Juvenile upperpart feathers increasingly mixed with grayer formative feathers. Molt limits occur among secondary coverts and tertials between fresher and grayer replaced formative feathers contrasting with worn browner juvenile feathers, the coverts with anchor-shaped markings. Retained juvenile outer primaries and rectrices narrower, browner, and more abraded at tips.
Formative Hudsonian Godwit.
Note the mixed formative and juvenile upperwing secondary coverts. Retained juvenile outer primaries and rectrices narrower, more pointed or rounded (less truncate) at the tips, browner, more abraded than basic feathers. Up to three tertials and the two central rectrices (as here) can be replaced and contrast with adjacent juvenile feathers.
Formative Hudsonian Godwit.
Formative Plumage may be retained in some birds into April or later, whereas older birds are in Definitive Alternate Plumage by this date.
First Alternate Hudsonian Godwit.
Most birds remaining to over-summer on winter grounds are in First Alternate Plumage. Similar to Formative Plumage but with scattered replaced body feathers, scapulars, and wing coverts showing patterns similar to or in between those of both Formative and Definitive Alternate Plumages. Fewer feathers replaced, on average, than in Definitive Alternate Plumage. Some individuals may show sex-specific differences as in Definitive Alternate Plumage whereas many others not reliably sexed; the brighter rufous alternate underpart feathers may indicate a male in this plumage. Note the brown and pointed, retained juvenile outer primaries.
First Alternate Hudsonian Godwit.
By October the retained juvenile primaries can become very worn, pointed, and abraded. The paler rufous remaining alternate feathering suggests a female in this plumage but most birds are not reliably sexed by appearance alone.
Most birds remaining to over-summer on winter grounds are in First Alternate Plumage. Occasional birds may lack a First Prealternate Molt or molt very few feathers and resemble Formative Plumage from April through September.
Definitive Basic Hudsonian Godwit.
Definitive Basic Plumage distinguished from Formative Plumage by uniform basic secondary coverts and tertials, the secondary coverts without indistinct dusky anchor-shaped pattern. Protracted molts often result in variable levels of wear to retained and replaced basic feathers. Basic outer primaries and rectrices fresher, broader, more truncate at tips, and blacker.
Definitive Basic Hudsonian Godwit, completing Definitive Prebasic Molt.
Note the basic wing feathers lacking anchor-shaped patterns (with variable levels of wear due to molt). The darker lesser coverts may indicate a male but study is needed. Primaries and rectrices and black, broad, and relatively fresh. The outer primary and perhaps some rectrices are completing growth, indicating the conclusion of a prebasic molt.
Definitive Basic Hudsonian Godwit.
Note the blackish wing and tail feathers, the outer primaries and rectrices black and relatively broad.
Definitive Alternate female Hudsonian Godwit.
Definitive Alternate females are less extensively rufous than Definitive Alternate males. Crown-feathers with small dark centers and gray edges, creating impression of a pale crown with dark streaks. Upperparts and wing coverts mixed basic and alternate, the alternate feathers with dark centers and pale gray to cinnamon spots or margins, creating an overall appearance of paler plumage with dark mottling.
Definitive Alternate female Hudsonian Godwit.
Note blackish, broad, and fresh remiges and rectrices indicating Definitive as opposed to First Alternate Plumage. Face, auriculars, and sides of neck predominantly pale gray with narrow darker streaks. Underparts mottled, the feathers with variable amounts of pale rufous to cinnamon with dark bars and broader whitish to buff fringing than found in definitive alternate males.
Definitive Alternate female and First Alternate Hudsonian Godwits.
The leftmost and third and fourth from the left are definitive alternate females, showing variable amounts of pale rufous to the underparts, the feathers with broader pale fringing than found in definitive alternate males. The birds second from left and rightmost are in First Alternate Plumage with comparatively worn, brown, and pointed plumage and less rufous to the underparts by sex than definitive alternate birds; the possibly smaller size and bill and more rufous to the right-hand bird indicates that it may be a first alternate male.
Definitive Alternate male Hudsonian Godwit.
Similar to Definitive Alternate Plumage in female except generally darker above and with deeper and more extensive rufous below. Dark centers to crown feathers larger, creating impression of a dark crown with fine pale streaks, darker than nape. Mantle feathers and scapulars with smaller pale spots and tips, creating an overall darker appearance. Feathers of breast, belly, and flanks less mottled than on females, predominantly deep rufous, each feather with 3–6 narrow irregular dark bars.
Definitive Alternate male Hudsonian Godwit.
Note the relatively fresh and blackish remiges, along with the extensive and dark alternate underpart feathering, indicating Definitive as opposed to First Alternate Plumage. The deep rufous underparts without buff to whitish feather fringes indicates a male as opposed to a female in this plumage
Definitive Alternate male Hudsonian Godwit.
The broad, blackish remiges and rectrices indicate Definitive Alternate Plumage and the extensive deep rufous underparts indicates a male in this plumage.
Hudsonian Godwit undergoing Preformative Molt.
The Preformative Molt is protracted, occurring primarily in November-March or April on South American non-breeding grounds. It includes most-to-all body feathers, a few to most inner upperwing secondary coverts, usually 1-3 tertials, and occasionally 1-2 central rectrices, but few or no other flight feathers. Here juvenile back feathers have begun to be replaced by formative feathers.
HudsonianGodwit undergoing Preformative Molt.
Formative back feathers are replacing juvenile feathers. The anchor-shaped patterns to the juvenile lesser coverts suggests that this is the Preformative Molt, although the worn condition to the median coverts may indicate the Second Prebasic Molt instead.
Hudsonian Godwit undergoing or having completed First Prealternate Molt.
Some individuals replace very few feathers during the First Prealternate Molt, remaining in formative-like plumage throughout the first year. This is especially true of those that over-summer on South American winter grounds.
Hudsonian Godwit undergoing or having suspended the Second Prebasic Molt.
Prebasic molts can commence on breeding grounds and likely suspends for southbound migration. Feather replacement on breeding grounds may be more extensive during the Second than during later Prebasic Molts due to lack of breeding constraints in most or all individuals. Here, most body feathers are second basic, contrasting with juvenile wing feathers and a few first-alternate feathers on the back and flanks.
Hudsonian Godwit undergoing the Second Prebasic Molt.
Prebasic molts on the South American non-breeding grounds can be protracted, completing as late as march or later in some individuals that had migrated north for the previous breeding season. Here, many upperwing secondary coverts have yet to be replaced and their extremely worn condition indicates juvenile feathers and that this bird is completing the Second Prebasic Molt, in it's third calendar year of life.
Bar-tailed (left) and Hudsonian (right) godwits completing Prebasic Molt.
Prebasic Molts can be protracted on winter grounds in the Southern Hemisphere, as late as March or later in some individuals. Here the worn and brown outer primaries suggests juvenile feathers and that these birds are undergoing the Second Prebasic Molt; although they could also be basic feathers that are over a year old.
Hudsonian Godwits undergoing Second and Definitive Prebasic Molts.
These birds are in various stages of primary replacement, ranging from none replaced to p9 growing and only p10 old. Those farther along may represent Second Prebasic Molts on birds that remained to over-summer on winter grounds, and some of those with no primary replacement may be undergoing Preformative Molts. Timing otherwise is variable, later on birds that complete a successful breeding season and arrive to winter grounds later. Locations such as Los Lagos, in Chile, may represent molting grounds where many individuals congregate for feather replacement.
Hudonian Godwit undergoing Definitive Prebasic Molt.
Primaries are replaced distally (p1 to p10), secondaries replaced proximally from s1 and s5 and distally from the tertials, and rectrices probably replaced distally (r1 to r6) on each side of tail, with some variation in rectrix sequence possible. Here, primary molt has reached p6 and tertials and central rectrices are being replaced. The broad and relatively fresh condition to the unmolted feathers indicate that this is a Definitive rather than the Second Prebasic Molt.
Hudonian Godwit completing Prebasic Molt.
Here all primaries except the outermost have been replaced or are growing, and most outer secondaries have been dropped. Early completion of this molt suggests that it may be the Second Prebasic Molt on a bird that over-summered on the winter grounds.
Hudsonian Godwit commencing Definitive Prealternate Molt.
The Definitive Prealternate Molt can commence as early as late January in some individuals. The paler rufous coloration to the replace underpart feathers suggests a female but more feathers may need to be replaced before this bird can be sexed by plumage.
Female Hudsonian Godwit undergoing Definitive Prealternate Molt.
Back and underpart feathers are being replaced. The large pale fringes to the alternate upperpart feathers and mottled appearance to the underparts indicates a female.
Male Hudsonian Godwit undergoing Definitive Prealternate Molt.
Molt can be nearly complete by February. In some individuals completing before northbound migration while in others it completes at stopover sites during migration. The blacker alternate upperpart feathers and deep rufous alternate underpart feathers, without buff fringes, indicates a male.
Adult male Hudsonian Godwit.
Bill color varies by age, sex, and season. When breeding, pale basal area increases to occupy 50–60% of bill, and during the courtship period, it is brighter pinkish orange in males but then fades rapidly to a duller more purplish-pink color of adult females. The base also becomes duller during the molt and winter periods. The iris (concealed by the nictitating membrane here) is sepia or dark brown at all ages.
Juvenile Hudsonian Godwit.
The base of the bill gradually becomes Dusky Pink in Juveniles and dull Pinkish during the first year. The legs and feet are dark gray to slate and the iris is dark brown.
Hudsonian Godwit is a rare but regular species in New Zealand; November, Otago, New Zealand.
Male in its breeding habitat; Alaska, United States.
Hudsonian Godwit’s breeding habitat; Manitoba, Canada.
Birds in their breeding habitat; Ontario, Canada.
Hudsonian Godwit’s wintering habitat; Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
Hudsonian Godwit’s wintering habitat; Santa Cruz, Argentina.
Birds resting on the shore in winter; Bío-Bío, Chile.
Flock resting on the shore; March, Santa Cruz, Argentina.
First Hudsonian Godwits arrive to Alaska the last week of April.
Small flocks are reported in Trinidad in October.
Bird feeding on earthworm.
Bird feeding on invertebrate.
Bird with prey.
Bird preening.
Bird bathing.
Pair mating.
Pair mating; May, Alaska, United States.
Nest with eggs; June, Manitoba, Canada.
Bird incubating; June, Manitoba, Canada.
Nest with eggs; general view.
Nest with four eggs.
Eggs.
Bird incubating.
Chicks hatching.
Newly hatched.
Newly hatched.
Downy chick.
Hatchlings with mosquitoes.
Macaulay Library Photos for Hudsonian Godwit
Top-rated photos submitted to the Macaulay Library via eBird. Note: Our content editors have not confirmed the species identification for these photos.
