Scientific Name: Limosa limosa
Malay Name: Kedidi-Raja Ekor Hitam
Chinese Name: 黑尾塍鹬
Range: Breeds in Palearctic and northern China. Winters in Africa, Asia and Australasia.
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: islandica, limosa, melanuroides, bohaii.
Local Subspecies: melanuroides
Size: 36-40 cm
Identification: A fairly large wader with long blackish legs, rather long neck, long straight bi-coloured bill: pink at the base and black towards the tip. Breeding plumage has bright reddish-rufous head and breast, dark barring on belly. Non-breeding plumage has plain grayish head, breast and upperparts, unlike the streaked breast and back of the Bar-tailed Godwit. In flight shows bold white upperwing bars, white rump and black tail.
Similar looking species: Asian Dowitcher, Bar-tailed Godwit
Habitat: Mudflats, sandflats, coastal pools, sometimes wet paddy fields.
Behaviour/Ecology: Usually found in flocks. Feeds mainly by wading in deeper water, probing with its long bill.
Local Status: Rare migrant
Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2017)
- Bird List Revision for May 2019 (Revisions)
Featured reports: Aug 2022
Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Black-tailed Godwit)
References:
BirdLife International. (2017). Limosa limosa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22693150A111611637.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Black-tailed Godwit. Retrieved on September 30, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/black-tailed-godwit.