Bar-tailed Godwit

long, curved beak

Scientific name	Limosa lapponica
English name	Bar-tailed Godwit
Japanese name	大反嘴鴫
Classification	Aves
Classification details	Charadriiformes Scolopacidae
Full length	about 40cm
Distribution	Breeds in the northern hemisphere and migrates from Europe to Africa, Asia and Australia in the winter. In Japan, it can be seen all over the country in spring and autumn.

Characteristics

A sandpiper with a long, curved bill. The body is brown overall, and the back is mottled. In young birds, this pattern looks like an abacus ball. The belly is whitish. The head is small compared to the body and has a whitish eye line. The beak is pale flesh-colored from the base to about half, and the tip is lead-colored. The legs are black and serve as a distinguishing point from the sledgehammer.

Ecology

They fly to tidal flats and sandy beaches as migratory birds in spring and autumn. It uses its long beak to prey on small animals such as crustaceans.

Habitat

Sanbanze, Funabashi City

I headed to Sanbanze early in the morning on a spring tide day. A Bar-tailed Godwit was foraging at a distance of about 15m. It catches prey by thrusting its long beak into the sand. It looks twice as big as the Black-billed Sandpiper.