Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa   [Linnaeus, 1758]

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   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
BTO Codes: BW, BLTGO EURING No: 5320
Number in Britain: 67 pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: RED
European: 2 Concern, most in Europe; Vulnerable
Global: Near Threatened (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Migrant Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies: limosa (B), islandica (BW) recorded in Britain (of 3 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 42 cm Wingspan: 76 cm Weight: M: 280 g   F: 340 g    
Scientific name from: L.: limus=mud
World Distribution: BREEDS: n Europe & n Asia, WINTERS: w&s Europe, s Asia south to s Africa & Australia
Habitat: Marshy grassland & steppe, on migration mudflats
Diet: Invertebrates, also some plant material, located by touch and sight

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: No population trend available
Distribution: No distribution maps available
British Population Size:
    Summer: 67 pairs in 2005-09
    Winter: 43 thousand individuals in 2004-09
    Passage: 12000 individuals
    First Record: Recorded in Medieval times [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    First Breeding Record: East Anglia (after extinct 1885) 1952
    Latest Survey: Holling, M. & RBBP (2011) British Birds 104:476-537
    Conservation Status: RED because Historical Population Decline,
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 RED     1996-2001 RED  
   Races of Concern: limosa RED (Historical Decline), islandica AMBER (Rare or Localised)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    No habitat data from BBS
Migration routes: Map of foreign ringing recoveries  and summary map from Time to Fly (in pop-up windows)
European Population Size:
    Summer: 86 to 110 thousand pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(I), WBD(II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results: Results from Operation Godwit

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 55 x 37 mm Egg Weight: 39.0 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 2
Clutch Size: 4 eggs
Incubation: 22- 24 days   by the: Male + Female
Fledging: 25 - 30days as: Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Does not breed in Britain, or too few Nest Records
Number of Broods: 1
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.940 ± 0.020       
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 2 years Typical Lifespan: 18 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 23 years 3 months 21 days (set in 2001)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: E or D2 (pulli E)
Wing Length Adult: 217.6 ± 8.4     Range 185.0 - 241.0 mm, (N = 59)
Juvenile: 213.8 ± 7.8     Range 196.0 - 231.0 mm, (N = 269)
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Weight Adult: 302.8 ± 39.67 Range 205.0 - 455.0 g , (N =48)
Juvenile: 282.1 ± 37.1 Range 195.0 - 400.0 . , (N =247)
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Seasonal: Summer 307.9 ± 40.19 (N = 90)   Autumn 301.5 ± 36.53 (N = 1027)   Winter 316.9 ± 41.31 (N = 163)  
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

 
Gaelic: Cearra-ghob Welsh: Rhostog Gynffonddu
Danish: Stor kobbersneppe Dutch: Grutto
Finnish: Mustapyrstökuiri French: Barge à queue noire
German: Uferschnepfe Hungarian: Nagy goda
Icelandic: Jaðrakan Irish: Guilbneach Earrdhubh
Italian: Pittima reale Norwegian: Svarthalespove
Polish: Rycyk Portuguese: Maçarico-de-bico-direito
Spanish: Aguja colinegra Swedish: Rödspov
Local Names:Blackwit

For More Information...

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Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Details from the Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead