Hudsonian Godwit

 Hudsonian Godwit in Non-breeding Plumage

The Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) is a casual fall visitor especially along our east coast.  It is occasionally found along the Bay of Fundy or inland.  It is usually seen in small groups with other shorebirds.  It feeds along shorelines and is often seen wading out into shallow water.  I have seen it at Grand Manan, along our shores from Shediac southward, at Maisonnette and once inland.  The inland sighting was on our pond in Fredericton in September, 1974.  It was alone and stayed 2 days, feeding in the shallow water and mud around the pond.

The Hudsonian Godwit is a large shorebird with a strikingly long upturned bill which is pink at the base and dark gray at the tip.  The bird is 39 cm (15.5 inches) long and appears larger than the Greater Yellowlegs it often is seen with.  We usually see the non-breeding plumage here.  The adult has gray-brown upper parts and is lighter on the breast.  There is mottling on the back and wing feathers and lower breast.  The tail is black.  In flight you see a bold white wing stripe and black underwing coverts.  This latter feature differentiates it from the Black-tailed Godwit.  In flight you might mistake it for a Willet but the Willet has a shorter bill and a paler tail.  The breeding plumage is strikingly different.  The breast turns to a deep burnt orange and the upper parts are mottled dark gray.  The neck and face are dark and finely streaked.  Occasionally we see traces of the burnt orange colour on the breast of birds arriving here in August.

Hudsonian Godwit in Breeding Plumage  [Internet Photo]

The Hudsonian Godwit spends its summers on breeding grounds on the northern coast of Canada and Alaska; some beside the Beaufort Sea and some on Hudson Bay.  In the fall they migrate down our east coast on their way to South America.  In the spring they migrate north up the central flyway from Texas to the Prairie Provinces and northward.  On the breeding grounds they nest on mixed tundra and wetlands.  Their nest is a shallow hollow on the ground lined with leaves and grass usually hidden in tall grass or shrubs.  Three to four olive brown eggs are laid and incubated for 22 to 25 days.  

Hudsonian Godwits Feeding on Our Shores

Hudsonian Godwits feed on insects, crustaceans, mollusks and marine worms.  I have heard them vocalize and they make a high-pitched 'god - wit' sound.  Presumably that is how they got their name.  After the young are raised, these bird begin one of the longest migration paths of any species.  They fly from the sub-Arctic to southern South America to spend the winter.  Such a long flight path requires very good staging and feeding areas.  We provide those for the population that passes through here.  It is very important that these areas be protected and remain pristine with no pollution so that there is adequate feed for the migrants who need nourishment in order to get enough energy to make the long flights.  

The Hudsonian Godwit is the smallest of the world's 4 species of godwits; Hudsonian Godwit, Marbled Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit and Bar-tailed Godwit.  Because the Hudsonian Godwit breeds in only a few know areas in the north, it is a vulnerable species.  With Arctic oil exploration and increased fishing in the Arctic, these areas become more difficult to protect.  We need to be diligent to protect this species.  A vulnerable species needs extra care on our part.  We cannot let power and money-hungry industry destroy this precious species.  Because it breeds in our north we are responsible for its welfare.  Let's take it seriously!