A large cinnamon-buff shorebird with upturned bill. Among the largest shorebirds in North America. Spectacular wing patterns visible in flight.

Native status: Native to North America

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 15–60 cm (6–24 in); wingspan 30–90 cm
Weight20–800 g
LifespanWild 5–15 years
OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyScolopacidae

§ Encyclopedia

The marbled godwit is a large migratory shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. On average, it is the largest of the four species of godwit.

Source: Wikipedia — Marbled godwit Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Big, buff-brown shorebird mottled overall, with long blue-gray legs and a very long, slightly upturned bill that is pink at the base and dark at the tip. Cinnamon wing linings flash in flight.

Similar species. Hudsonian Godwit shows a black-and-white tail and dark underwings; Marbled is uniformly buff-cinnamon with no bold tail pattern.

Voice. A loud, nasal 'god-WIT' or 'ker-ack'.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Invertebrates probed from mud, sand, or shallow water.

Behavior. A large prairie-nesting shorebird that winters on coastal mudflats and beaches, probing deep for invertebrates with its very long bill.

§ Range

Northern Great Plains in summer; winters US coasts and into Central America

§ Habitat

Tallgrass prairies in summer; coastal mudflats in winter

§ Threats

Tallgrass prairie loss, coastal habitat loss.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the marbled godwit is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Support prairie conservation. Maintain coastal mudflats.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
  • National Audubon Society
  • iNaturalist
  • IUCN Red List