Photo: Cláudio Dias Timm from Rio Grande do Sul / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Hudsonian Godwit
Limosa haemastica
Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 253 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Limosa
- Species haemastica
Where it lives
Patchily in low Arctic bogs near treeline, western Alaska to central Canada: western, south-central Alaska, northern and south-central NWT, southwestern shores of Hudson Bay in northern Manitoba and northern Ontario (east-central Canada)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 253 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Hudsonian Godwit hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Hudsonian Godwit is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) is a member of the Scolopacidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA patchily in low Arctic bogs near treeline, w Alaska to c Canada: w, sc Alaska, n and sc NWT, sw shores of Hudson Bay in n Manitoba and n Ontario (ec Canada).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 253 g, with a wing length of about 21 cm and a tail of around 7.3 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 433,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Hudsonian Godwit?
The Hudsonian Godwit is a large bird that weighs around 253 g.
Where does the Hudsonian Godwit live?
The Hudsonian Godwit is found across North America with a range covering NA patchily in low Arctic bogs near treeline, w Alaska to c Canada: w, sc Alaska, n and sc NWT, sw shores of Hudson Bay in n Manitoba and n Ontario (ec Canada), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Hudsonian Godwit belong to?
The Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Hudsonian Godwit eat?
The Hudsonian Godwit hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Hudsonian Godwit migrate?
The Hudsonian Godwit is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Hudsonian Godwit endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
What sound does the Hudsonian Godwit make?
1 real field recording of the Hudsonian Godwit — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Hudsonian Godwit's range?
The Hudsonian Godwit has a mapped global range of about 433,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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