Asian Dowitcher vs Short-billed Dowitcher

Asian Dowitcher

Limnodromus semipalmatus

Medium212 gWetland

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.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ian Dugdale (iandugdale) · CC BY 4.0

Short-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus griseus

Medium111 gWetland

Adults' bodies are dark brown on top and reddish underneath. The tail has a black-and-white barred pattern, and the legs are yellowish. The three subspecies have slight variations in appearance: Limnodromus griseus griseus has a white belly and barred flanks. Limnodromus griseus hendersoni has a reddish belly and spotted flanks. Limnodromus griseus caurinus has a white belly, heavily barred flanks, and a densely spotted breast. None of these combines the reddish belly and barred flanks of the breeding plumage of the long-billed dowitcher. The winter plumage is largely grey.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: TRinaud · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Asian Dowitcher and Short-billed Dowitcher.