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Plump, medium-sized shorebird with very long bill.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilySandpipers and Allies
SizeMedium
RarityRare
HabitatMudflats, saltmarsh, estuaries, beaches, lagoons, and shallow inland wetlands.
Best timeMost reliable in South Australia from February.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Stanislas Wroza
Range map
Range map
2visible hotspots
2visible records
1states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Extremely similar to Long-billed Dowitcher, and often flocks with it. Breeding birds are intricately patterned with a variable amount of orange on the underparts. Short-billed usually has some white on the belly, and paler upperparts with bolder golden and white markings. Also look for messy and extensive spotting on sides, not sparsely barred like Long-billed Dowitcher. Nonbreeding plumage is brownish-gray overall with a paler belly; extremely similar to Long-billed but averaging slightly paler and more patterned, especially on the breast and sides. Juveniles are easiest to identify: look for bright golden markings on the tertials and scapulars. Short-billed breeds in grassy wetlands and tundra, and can be found in a variety of wetland habitats in migration and winter. A very early fall migrant, with southbound birds appearing in the U. S. by late June. Usually in flocks, feeding actively like a sewing machine. Tends to favor saltwater marshes, beaches, and mudflats. Somewhat less likely in freshwater habitats than Long-billed, but much overlap, especially the hendersoni subspecies that migrates primarily through the center of the continent.
Behavior
Best distinguished by voice: a rapid series of notes, “tu-tu-tu”, lower-pitched and almost always in a series, unlike single piercing “keek!” of Long-billed. At all ages, look for subtle structural differences: Short-billed averages flatter-backed, slightly shorter-billed, and slightly shorter, especially noticeable when in a mixed flock.
Gallery