Asian Dowitcher

Scientific Name: Limnodromus semipalmatus
Malay Name: Kedidi-Tetiruk Asia
Chinese Name: 半蹼鹬

Range:
Breeds in southern Siberia, northern China and Mongolia; winters from east India through southeast Asia to northern and eastern Australia. Locally, typically recorded on passage.

Taxonomy:
Monotypic.

Size: 34-36 cm

Identification:
In breeding plumage, shows orange-red head, breast, and upper belly, and orange-fringed upperpart feathers. Non-breeding-plumaged individuals (typically recorded in Singapore) may be confused with Black- and Bar-tailed Godwit, but can be differentiated from both these species by combination of mostly dark, straight, heavy-tipped bill, mostly brown rump and thinly-barred uppertail in flight.

Similar looking species: Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit

Habitat: Coastal mudflats and occasionally inland freshwater areas.

Behaviour/Ecology: When feeding, probes deeply into soil; usually associates with similar-sized and larger waders.

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured reports: Aug 2022

Past accepted records in our database: (not a complete listing)

Past records, bar chart (see more bar charts):

Asian Dowitcher at SBWR. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Asian Dowitcher at SBWR. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Asian Dowitcher at SBWR. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Asian Dowitcher at SBWR. Photo Credit: Francis Yap