Skip to main content

Photo: JJ Harrison / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

The Asian Dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 212 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Charadriiformes
  3. Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
  4. Genus Limnodromus
  5. Species semipalmatus

Where it lives

Inland wetlands of temperate central, eastern Palearctic: southwestern Siberia and eastern Kazakhstan, (probably) northern Mongolia to Amurland (southeastern Siberia) and northeastern China

Quick facts

Weight
212 g
Family
Scolopacidae

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Asian Dowitcher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Asian Dowitcher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Asian Dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus) is a species of bird in the Scolopacidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL inland wetlands of temperate c, e Palearctic: sw Siberia and e Kazakhstan, (probably) n Mongolia to Amurland (se Siberia) and ne China.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 212 g, with a wing length of about 17.4 cm and a tail of around 6.1 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Asian Dowitcher — Flight call

Recorded by Bo Shunqi 薄顺奇 Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Asian Dowitcher?

The Asian Dowitcher is a large bird that weighs around 212 g.

Where does the Asian Dowitcher live?

The Asian Dowitcher is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL inland wetlands of temperate c, e Palearctic: sw Siberia and e Kazakhstan, (probably) n Mongolia to Amurland (se Siberia) and ne China, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Asian Dowitcher belong to?

The Asian Dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Asian Dowitcher eat?

The Asian Dowitcher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Asian Dowitcher migrate?

The Asian Dowitcher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Asian Dowitcher endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Asian Dowitcher make?

1 real field recording of the Asian Dowitcher — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Asian Dowitcher's range?

The Asian Dowitcher has a mapped global range of about 2.7 million km².

Conservation

Near Threatened

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Scolopacidae

More in Shorebirds

Back to top