short-billed dowitcher

The short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) is one of three species of shorebirds belonging to the genus Limnodromus. These birds are related to sandpipers and have a chunky appearance with a long bill, similar to a snipe. In breeding plumage, they display reddish underparts, earning them the alternative names red-breasted snipe and robin snipe. A distinctive feature is their white rump and lower back.12

Dowitchers are often seen flocking on mudflats or sandbars. They exhibit synchronized flight in tight formations before spreading out to feed. Their breeding grounds range from northeastern Siberia to Hudson's Bay, and they migrate to winter on coasts from the southern U.S. to northern South America. The short-billed dowitcher is similar in size to the long-billed dowitcher, differing primarily in bill length.1