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Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa   [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
BTO Codes: BW, BLTGO EURING No: 5320
Number in Britain: 48 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
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Population and Distribution
Population Trend: No population trend available
Distribution: No distribution maps available
British Population Size:
    Summer: 44 to 52 pairs in 1998-02
    Winter: 15 thousand individuals in 1994-99
    Passage: 12000 individuals
    First Record: 14th Century [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    First Breeding Record: East Anglia (after extinct 1885) 1952
    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
European Population Size:
    Summer: 86 to 110 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(I), WBD(II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results: Wetland Bird Survey Alerts
Operation Godwit
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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: 163
Adult Survival: 0.940 ± 0.020       
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 2 years Typical Lifespan: 18 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 23yr 3m
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Biometrics
Ring Size: E or D2 (pulli E)
Wing Length Adult: 215.6 ± 8.4 Range 201 - 231 mm, N =59
Juvenile: 215.4 ± 10.8 202 - 229 mm, N =78
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Weight Adult: 298.5 ± 39.67 Range 240.0 - 360.0 g , N =48
Juvenile: 282.3 ± 36.85 218.0 - 345.0 g , N =59
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
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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
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For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
No books written recently
See Also:
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus

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Email: birdfacts@bto.org

These data should be cited as:
Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.24, June 2009). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)

 

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