[Tweeters] Dowitcher question for the experts

[Dennis Paulson]

Nelson, that’s a good question, one I hadn’t thought about previously. I have many, many photos of dowitchers feeding, and I don’t have a photo of a Short-billed submerging to any more than its eye level when feeding water, while I have many Long-billed with their entire head submerged.

I would say this is because Short-billed, at least in this area, is much more likely to be on the coast, where an outgoing tide exposes more and more mudflats. So most of the time they are just probing into mud. Long-billed, on the other hand, feeds in fresh water, where the water level stays the same and the dowitcher may have to submerge its head to get to its prey items.

Bill length does average different in the two, of course, and this would make Long-billed more able to feed in slightly deeper water. And with slightly longer legs, Long-billed can then feed in slightly deeper water than Short-billed and still feed effectively.

What would be interesting is to compare the two in fresh water, as both species migrate across the Plains spring and fall. There might well be a difference, with Long-billed feeding on average in deeper water.

Dennis Paulson
Seattle


> On Feb 18, 2024, at 9:29 PM, Nelson Briefer <nreiferb at gmail.com> wrote:

> 

> Do you think it is possible that LB Dowitchers, whose bills are often the same length as a SB Dowitcher, and because the LB Dowitcher has longer legs and depending on the depth of the water, LB Dowitchers will feed with their heads well under the water compared to SB Dowitchers?

>  I have observed this condition. So, I suspect your initial comment will be revised. May many of your Dowitchers be identified. Nelson Briefer — Anacortes.

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