Lesson 4: 'Snipe-type' Shorebirds Flashcards
Meet the 'Snipe-types', North America's short, squat shorebirds with almost comically long bills and the source of a bird-watcher's biggest headache: telling Long-billed Dowitchers and Short-billed Dowitchers apart! Also included: Wilson's Snipe and American Woodcock.
What four shorebird species fall under the umbrella of the ‘snipe-types’?
- Wilson’s Snipe
- American Woodcock
- Short-billed Dowitcher
- Long-billed Dowitcher
‘Dowitcher’ is a bit of an odd name for a shorebird and, as it turns out, there is an interesting story there…
Early American ornithologist Elliott Coues believed that it derived from the name that hunters used for dowitchers—“German Snipe”—as opposed to “English Snipe” or Wilson’s Snipe as we now know them.
In Pennsylvania Dutch, an American dialect of German, “Duitscher” is the word for “German” and so the birds became known as “Duitscher” or, with time and evolution of the pronunciation, “dowitcher”.
What are the hallmark characteristics of the ‘snipe-type’ shorebirds?
- Overall squat, hunched appearance
- Short neck, legs, and tail
- Very long, robustly built bill
How many species of snipe are there in North America?
One
There are 40 species of snipe in the world!
Note the long white stripes down the back of this bird. These are often referred to as “suspender stripes” but because they are such a diagnostic trait of the species, they have become known as “snipe stripes”.
How many species of dowitcher are there in North America?
Two
Image credits: Rhododendrites (left), Mike Baird (right)
These are the only two species of dowitcher in the world.
What bird is this?
Wilson’s Snipe
Note the extremely long, straight bill, bold crown stripes, and white suspender stripes down the back. Also note the rusty-colored tail and short legs.
American Woodcock
This small, squat, and plump bird has no apparent neck and a very short tail. Also note the enormous eye and very long bill.
The most similar-looking species is Wilson’s Snipe but they prefer wet habitats and have crown stripes that run from the front of the head to the back. American Woodcock have bold, black lateral crown stripes and prefer dry, forested habitats.
What FIVE distinguishing characteristics does a Wilson’s Snipe have?
- Very long bill
- Striped crown
- White ‘snipe stripes’ down its back
- Rust-colored tail
- Overall squat, round shape
What is unusual about the American Woodcock’s habitat?
It’s a shorebird that does not like the shore! These birds are most often found in shrubby areas and forests with canopy openings.
What THREE reliable clues can you use to tell adult Short and Long-billed Dowitchers from one another?
These two species are incredibly difficult to tell apart from each other and are often best captured on a list as just “Dowitcher species”.
- Call
- Shape
- Time of year
1. Call: Short-billed Dowitcher (SBDO) give a lower-pitched “tew tew” call when flushed but are otherwise quiet. Long-billed Dowitcher (LBDO) give a series of high-pitched twittering peeps “te-te-te-tew” and foraging flocks are quite chatty! (Not many shorebird species call when foraging, so this is a very useful clue).
2. Shape: SBDO and LBDO show a slightly different profile but only when foraging. The LBDO looks fatter and rounder (like it has swallowed a grapefruit) with more of a hunch, whereas the SBDO is slimmer and more triangular in shape with a flatter back.
3. Time of year: LBDO migrate later in the fall than SBDO and earlier in the spring, too. By November, for example, most SBDO will have migrated south, while the LBDO are still hanging around. So, depending on where you are, if you see a dowitcher species in November, it is very likely a LBDO.
What birds are these?
Long-billed Dowitcher
Breeding plumage
Their overall squat, somewhat hunched appearance, medium-length legs, and long, robustly-built bill will help you tell them apart from the other sandpipers and peeps, while their lack of striking markings will help you differentiate them from the similarly-built Wilson’s Snipe.
Then comes the real challenge: telling Long-billed Dowitcher (LBDO) apart from the very similar-looking Short-billed Dowitcher (SBDO). Remember to lean on the three reliable clues to tell adult birds apart: call, shape, and time of year.
What bird is this?
Short-billed Dowitcher
Juvenile
SBDO and LBDO are extremely difficult to tell apart so pay attention to their calls, shape, and the other clues we discuss in this deck.
What are the “tertials” of a bird?
The tertials are the short, innermost flight feathers on the rear edge of a wing, close to the body of the bird.
At rest, they lie above the tail and above the wingtips.
How can you identify a juvenile dowitcher?
Look for the typical “scaly” appearance of a young shorebird (caused by dark feathers with a white border).
Juvenile dowitchers of both species have different colored and patterned tertial feathers (see above image) and this is perhaps the best clue you can use to tell the two apart.
What hallmark feature belonging to the juveniles of the Short and Long-billed Dowitcher can reliably help you tell the two species apart?
The color and patterning of their tertial feathers.
* Juvenile Long-Billed Dowitchers have plain grayish tertials
* Juvenile Short-billed Dowitchers have “tiger striped” tertials
It is very important that you make sure you are looking at JUVENILE birds when using this clue to inform your ID because both adults of the species have striped tertials in breeding plumage and plain gray tertials in non-breeding plumage. It is only when they are young that this distinction arises.
What THREE less reliable clues can help you tell the difference between a Short and Long-billed Dowitcher?
- Habitat
- Plumage markings
- Bill length
1. Habitat: On migration, both dowitcher species can be found together on the same wetlands but SBDO typically prefer saltwater while LBDO prefer freshwater.
2. Plumage markings: there are some subtle differences but because plumage is variable, these should not be treated as reliable clues. LBDO have strong barring on the chest, whereas SBDO look spottier. The latter also tend to have more white on the belly during breeding.
3. Bill length: LBDO have slightly longer bills than SBDO but because there is a fair amount of variability between the sexes, this is not a reliable clue.
For a much deeper discourse on the subtle differences between Long and Short-billed Dowitcher, read this Dowitcher Identification article by BC bird expert Melissa Hafting.
What birds are these?
Long-billed Dowitcher
Non-breeding plumage
Uniform brown above and pale below with a long, robust bill and lack of any other significant markings. This is definitely a dowitcher but which one? There are six clues to investigate:
1. Calls: LBDO are very chatty when foraging.
2. Shape: LBDO look fatter and rounder than SBDO but only when foraging (do not look for this clue when they are standing still).
3. Time of year: Is it the right timing for LBDO or SBDO?
4. Markings: LBDO have strong barring on the chest, whereas SBDO tend to look spottier, also with more extensive white on the belly in their breeding plumage.
5. Habitat: On migration, both dowitcher species can be found together on the same wetlands but SBDO prefer saltwater while LBDO prefer freshwater.
6. Bill length: LBDO have slightly longer bills than SBDO but because there is a fair amount of variability between the sexes, this is not a reliable clue.
What birds are these?
Short-billed Dowitcher
Non-breeding plumage
Remember the six clues for telling Long and Short-billed Dowitcher apart? They are
- Call
- Shape
- Time of year
- Markings
- Habitat
- Bill length
What bird is this?
Wilson’s Snipe
Wilson’s Snipe are the only species of snipe found in North America! These squat birds have short legs and extremely long, straight bills, as well as a distinctive striped crown and bold white “suspenders” or “snipe stripes” down their backs.
They are extremely well camouflaged so your best shot at seeing them is to look for movement in the wet grassy areas and marshes they prefer, or when you accidentally flush them out from ditches in farmlands and wet meadows.
American Woodcock
The curious thing about the American Woodcock (besides its appearance) is that it is technically-speaking a shorebird but you won’t find them near the shore! These birds are most often found around openings in shrubby, forested areas, where they probe the dirt and leaf litter for worms.
They also do not migrate to the Arctic like many other shorebirds, instead remaining within their range in southeastern North America.
What birds are these?
Long-billed Dowitcher
Breeding plumage
This photo beautifully illustrates the white wedge that extends up the back of the dowitchers during flight, serving as the tell-tale difference between them and the similarly-proportioned Wilson’s Snipe.
Also note their striking, zebra-striped tails and legs that extend just a little bit past the tail. Wilson’s Snipe have shorter legs which are not visible during flight.
What bird is this?
Short-billed Dowitcher
Breeding plumage
Once again, a stand-alone image of a dowitcher leaves most people flummoxed! So when in doubt, remember those reliable clues: call and foraging shape (round vs. more triangular). Then, assess the markings (is it a juvenile and if so, does it have tiger-striped or plain tertials?) and habitat (fresh or saltwater).
Another very helpful clue to consider is the time of year. LBDO migrate later in the fall than the SBDO and earlier in the spring, too. By November, for example, most SBDO will have migrated south, while LBDO stay on a little later.
American Woodcock
With its squat and round shape, lateral crown stripes, enormous eye, and preference for wooded habitats, you are unlikely to confuse the American Woodcock with any other shorebird.
They are exceedingly shy and rarely seen out in the open during the day. You are most likely to see them when accidentally flushed or at dusk during the males’ very elaborate displays.
What bird is this?
Wilson’s Snipe
Look at those distinctive crown markings and suspender stripes! Also the very long, straight bill and short neck and tail. Wilson’s Snipes are very squat, stocky-looking birds because of their short necks, tails, and legs.
