Asian Dowitcher
Limnodromus semipalmatus
The Asian Dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus) is a rare sandpiper found in 25 countries, weighing about 212 g. The Asian dowitcher is a medium-large wader in the Scolopacidae family of sandpipers.
About the Asian Dowitcher
The Asian dowitcher is a medium-large wader in the Scolopacidae family of sandpipers.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Adults have dark legs and a long, straight dark bill, somewhat shorter than that of the long-billed dowitcher. The body is brown on top and reddish underneath in breeding plumage. The tail has a black and white barred pattern. The winter plumage is largely grey. Their breeding habitat is grassy wetlands in inland Siberia and Manchuria. They migrate to southeast Asia as far south as northern Australia, although both the breeding and wintering areas are poorly known. This bird is always found on coasts during migration and wintering. These birds forage by probing in shallow water or on wet mud.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa, New Zealand, Brunei, Timor-Leste.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Asian Dowitcher?
- Adults have dark legs and a long, straight dark bill, somewhat shorter than that of the long-billed dowitcher. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Asian Dowitcher?
- The Asian Dowitcher is a medium sized bird weighing about 212 g.
- Where can you see an Asian Dowitcher?
- The Asian Dowitcher occurs in 25 countries, including Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong SAR China.
- What birds look similar to an Asian Dowitcher?
- The Asian Dowitcher is most easily confused with the Short-billed Dowitcher and the Long-billed Dowitcher.
- Is the Asian Dowitcher endangered?
- The Asian Dowitcher is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Asian Dowitcher for real
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