Editing Short-billed dowitcher

{{short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Short-Billed Dowitcher - (Limnodromus griseus) East Point Lighthouse, Delaware Bay, New Jersey, USA.jpg
| image caption = A Short-billed dowtcher (''L. griseus griseus'') in breeding plumage.
| image2 = Short-billed dowitcher  in JBWR (40844).jpg
| status = VU
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Limnodromus griseus'' |volume=2016 |page=e.T22693344A93396788 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22693344A93396788.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| taxon = Limnodromus griseus
| authority = ([[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|Gmelin, JF]], 1789)
| synonyms = *''Scolopax grisea'' <small>Gmelin, 1789</small>
| range_map = Limnodromus griseus map.svg
| range_map_caption =  {{leftlegend|#FF7F2A|Breeding}}{{leftlegend|#FFDD55|Migration}}{{leftlegend|#5F8DD3|Nonbreeding}}
}}
[[File:SB Dowitcher Bath.png|right|thumb|A Short-billed Dowitcher bathing in the Delaware Bay.]]
[[File:Short-billed Dowitcher standing in front of Red Knot (09-09-2007).jpg|thumb|Adult in foreground, [[red knot]] in background]]

The '''short-billed dowitcher''' ('''''Limnodromus griseus'''''), like its congener the [[long-billed dowitcher]], is a medium-sized, stocky, long-billed [[shorebird]] in the family [[Scolopacidae]].

It is an inhabitant of [[North America]], [[Central America]], the [[Caribbean]], and northern [[South America]].<ref name=AOU/> It is strongly migratory; it completely vacates in breeding areas during the snow-bound months.<ref name=Sibley/> This species favors a variety of habitats including [[tundra]] in the north to [[ponds]] and [[mudflats]] in the south. It feeds on invertebrates often by rapidly probing its bill into mud in a sewing machine fashion.<ref name=Paulson/> It and the very similar [[long-billed dowitcher]] were considered one species until 1950.<ref name=Kaufmann/> Field identification of the two American ''[[Limnodromus]]'' remains difficult today. Distinguishing wintering or juvenile short-billed dowitchers from the long-billed species is very difficult and, even given examination their subtlety different body shapes, cannot always be isolated to a particular species. They differ most substantially in vocalizations. The names of American dowitchers are misleading, as there is much overlap in their bill lengths.<ref name=Paulson/><ref name=Kaufmann/> Only a small percentage can be identified by this character alone.<ref name=Kaufmann/>

==Taxonomy==
The short-billed dowitcher was [[Species description|formally described]] in 1789 by the German naturalist [[Johann Friedrich Gmelin]] in his revised and expanded edition of [[Carl Linnaeus]]'s ''[[Systema Naturae]]''. He placed it in the [[genus]] ''[[Scolopax]]'' and coined the [[binomial nomenclature|binomial name]] ''Scolopax grisea''.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Gmelin | first=Johann Friedrich | author-link=Johann Friedrich Gmelin| year=1789 | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis | edition=13th | volume=1, Part 2 | language=Latin | location=Lipsiae [Leipzig] | publisher=Georg. Emanuel. Beer | page=658 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2656151 }}</ref> Gmelin based his description on the "brown snipe" from the coast of New York that had been described in 1785 by the English ornithologist [[John Latham (ornithologist)|John Latham]] and by the Welsh naturalist [[Thomas Pennant]].<ref>{{ cite book | last=Latham | first=John | author-link=John Latham (ornithologist) | year=1785 | title=A General Synopsis of Birds | volume=3, Part 1 | publisher=Printed for Leigh and Sotheby | location=London | page=154 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40078919 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Pennant | first=Thomas | author-link=Thomas Pennant | year=1785 | title=Arctic Zoology | volume=2 | publisher=Printed by Henry Hughs | location=London, United Kingdom | pages=464–465 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32122244 }}</ref> The short-billed dowitcher is now placed in the genus ''[[Limnodromus]]'' that was introduced in 1833 by [[Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied]].<ref>{{ cite book | last=Wied-Neuwied | first=Maximilian | author-link=Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied | date= 1832| title=Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte von Brasilien | volume=4 | language=German | location=Weimar | publisher= Im Verlage des Landes-Industrie-Comptoirs | page=716 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2796910 }}</ref> The genus name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] ''limnē'' meaning "marsh" with ''-dromos'' meaning "-racer" or "-runner". The specific ''griseus'' is [[Medieval Latin]] meaning "grey".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | pages=[https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n227/mode/1up 227], [https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n178/mode/1up 178]}}</ref>  The English name "dowitcher" is from [[Iroquois]] and was first recorded in 1841.<ref name=OED>{{Cite OED |Dowitcher}}</ref>

Three [[subspecies]] are recognised:<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=August 2022 | title=Sandpipers, snipes, coursers | work=IOC World Bird List Version 12.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/sandpipers/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=6 November 2022}}</ref>
* ''L. g. caurinus'' [[Frank Pitelka|Pitelka]], 1950 – Breeds: Gulf of Alaska and inland central-south Alaska, southwest Yukon and montane northwest British Columbia (northwest Canada). Winters: central USA to Peru 
* ''L. g. hendersoni'' [[William Rowan (biologist)|Rowan]], 1932 – Breeds: central-north Alberta to west Manitoba (central Canada). Winters: southeast USA to Panama
* ''L. g. griseus'' (Gmelin, JF, 1789) – Breeds: southwest Hudson Bay and James Bay to west Labrador (central-east Canada). Winters: south USA to Brazil

==Description==
The body of adults is dark brown on top and reddish underneath. The tail has a black and white barred pattern. The legs are a yellowish color.

The three subspecies have slight variations in appearance:
* ''L. g. griseus'' has a white belly and barred flanks.
* ''L. g. hendersoni'' has a reddish belly and spotted flanks.
* ''L. g. caurinus'' has a white belly with heavily barred flanks and densely spotted breast.

None of these combines the reddish belly and barred flanks of the breeding plumage long-billed dowitcher. The winter [[Feather|plumage]] is largely grey. This bird can range from {{convert|23|to|32|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length, {{convert|46|to|56|cm|in|abbr=on}} in wingspan and {{convert|73|-|155|g|oz|abbr=on}} in body mass.<ref name=CRC/>

The call of this bird is more mellow than that of the long-billed dowitcher, and is useful in identification, particularly of the difficult adult plumages.

==Distribution and habitat==
The breeding habitat of the short-billed dowitcher includes [[bogs]], [[tidal marsh]]es, mudflats or forest clearings south of the tree line in northern North America. ''L. g. griseus'' breeds in northern [[Quebec]]; ''L. g. hendersoni'' breeds in north central [[Canada]]; ''L. g. caurinus'' breeds in southern [[Alaska]] and southern [[Yukon]].

The birds [[bird migration|migrate]] to the southern [[United States]] and as far south as [[Brazil]]. This bird is more likely to be seen near ocean coasts during migration than the long-billed dowitcher. This species occurs in western [[Europe]] only as an extremely rare vagrant.

==Behavior and ecology==
===Breeding===
These birds nest on the ground, usually near water. Their nests are shallow depressions in clumps of grass or moss, which are lined with fine grasses, twigs and leaves. They lay four, sometimes three, olive-buff to brown [[Egg (biology)|eggs]]. Incubation lasts for 21 days and is done by both sexes.

The downy juvenile birds leave the nest soon after hatching. Parental roles are not well known, but it is believed the female departs and leaves the male to tend the chicks, which find all their own food.

===Food and feeding===
These birds forage by probing in shallow water or on wet mud. They mainly eat [[insect]]s, [[mollusk]]s, [[crustacean]]s and marine [[worm]]s, but also eat some plant material.

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=AOU>American Ornithologist' Union. Check-list of North American Birds. American Ornithologists' Union. 1998.</ref>

<ref name=Sibley>{{cite book |last=Sibley |first=David Allen |author-link=David Allen Sibley |date=2000 |title=The Sibley Guide to Birds |location=New York |publisher=Knopf |page=[https://archive.org/details/sibleyguidetobir00sibl_0/page/483 483] |isbn=0-679-45122-6 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/sibleyguidetobir00sibl_0/page/483 }}</ref>

<ref name=Paulson>{{cite book |last=Paulson |first=Dennis R. |title=Shorebirds of the Pacific Northwest |publisher=University of Washington Press |year=1993 |isbn=978-0295977065}}</ref>

<ref name=Kaufmann>{{cite book |last=Kaufman |first=Kenn |author-link=Kenn Kaufman |title=Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding |url=https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetoadva00kauf |url-access=registration |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |year=1990 |isbn=978-0547248325 |series=Kaufman Field Guides}}</ref>

<ref name=CRC>''CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses'' by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), {{ISBN|978-0-8493-4258-5}}.</ref>
}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20161219195547/https://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i2310id.html Short-billed Dowitcher - ''Limnodromus griseus''] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Short-billed_Dowitcher.html Short-billed dowitcher species account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* {{InternetBirdCollection|short-billed-dowitcher-limnodromus-griseus|Short-billed dowitcher}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190715002218/http://www.capejourimain.ca/assets/uploads/files/2009/7/dowitcher_becassin.pdf Short-billed dowitcher], Cape Jourimain Nature Centre
* {{VIREO|Short-billed+dowitcher}}
* {{IUCN_Map|22693344/260758243|Limnodromus griseus}}
* {{Xeno-canto species|Limnodromus|griseus|Short-billed dowitcher}}

{{Scolopacidae|2}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q371633}}

[[Category:Limnodromus]]
[[Category:Native birds of Alaska]]
[[Category:Birds of Canada]]
[[Category:Birds of the Dominican Republic]]
[[Category:Shorebirds]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1789]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin]]