The Hudsonian godwit is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. It is a long distance migratory species that breeds at remote sites in northern Canada and winters in southern South America. The genus name Limosa is from Latin and means "muddy", from limus, "mud". The specific haemastica is from Ancient Greek and means "bloody".The English term "godwit" is believed to imitate the bird's call.
Region
Americas
Typical Environment
Breeds in subarctic bogs, muskeg, and wet sedge meadows around Hudson and James Bay and west to parts of the Mackenzie Delta and Alaska. During migration it uses prairie potholes, flooded fields, shorelines of large lakes, and coastal mudflats. In the nonbreeding season it occurs on tidal flats, estuaries, saline lagoons, and coastal wetlands of southern South America, especially in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. It requires soft substrates for probing and depends on a network of high-quality stopover sites.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Hudsonian godwit is a powerful long-distance migrant, linking subarctic Canada with the southern cone of South America in a few rapid flights. It often undertakes non‑stop overwater legs and relies on key inland stopovers to refuel. In flight it shows a striking white wing stripe and rump contrasting with a dark tail, useful for identification at a distance.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
strong, direct flier with rapid wingbeats; capable of long non-stop flights
Social Behavior
Forms loose colonies on breeding grounds, with pairs nesting on the ground in open tundra or boggy meadows. Outside the breeding season it gathers in sizable flocks, often mixing with other shorebirds on rich feeding flats. Both parents typically attend the nest, and chicks are precocial, leaving the nest shortly after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations include sharp, ringing kic or git notes and a mellow, repeated god-wit-like call, especially in flight. On breeding territories males give a series of musical whistles and chatter during display flights.
Plumage
Breeding adults show rich rufous underparts with dark, mottled brown upperparts; nonbreeding birds are largely gray-brown above with paler, lightly streaked underparts. Feathers are sleek with a clean, contrasting pattern in flight. The bill is long, straight to slightly upturned and two-toned.
Diet
Probes soft mud and saturated soils for polychaete worms, aquatic insect larvae, beetles, and spiders. Also takes small crustaceans such as amphipods and shrimps, and occasionally small mollusks. On breeding grounds insects dominate; on tidal wintering grounds marine invertebrates are key.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on intertidal mudflats, estuary edges, shallow lagoons, and flooded fields where the substrate is soft. During migration it uses prairie wetlands and shorelines of inland lakes and reservoirs with exposed mud.
