​Hudsonian Godwit, Limosa haemastica

Hudsonian Godwits are migratory shorebirds that breed in the Arctic tundra regions of North America and Siberia from late May to early June.

During the breeding season, these birds are commonly found in the open wetlands and marshes, where they primarily forage for insects, spiders, and aquatic invertebrates.

Hudsonian Godwits have long legs for wading and a keen sense of sight to locate prey. They use their long, straight bills to probe the mud and shallow water for food.

Courtship in Hudsonian Godwits involves aerial displays, with males engaging in flight to attract females.

For nests, they create shallow scrapes on the ground, typically lined with grasses and sedges. These nests are situated in the wetland areas near their foraging grounds.

After laying eggs, the adults share incubation duties. Upon hatching, the parents provide care and protection to the chicks, primarily feeding them a diet of insects, spiders, and small aquatic invertebrates.

As the chicks grow, they learn to forage under the guidance of the adults, honing their hunting skills and gradually shifting to a diet similar to that of the adults.

Hudsonian Godwits start their migration from their breeding grounds in late summer, following established flyways to their wintering regions in South America. They typically leave their breeding grounds in August.

During the winter, these birds inhabit coastal habitats, estuaries, and tidal flats in South America, where they forage primarily on aquatic invertebrates. Their winter diet may also include small crustaceans and worms.

Hudsonian Godwits begin their return journey to their breeding grounds in late winter or early spring, departing from their wintering regions in February or March. They follow migratory routes back to their breeding areas in the Arctic tundra, where they arrive in late May to early June to begin the breeding season once again.