?Short-Billed Dowitcher

[floraphile]

11 March 2020.  Dauphin Island (Mobile co.), AL.  Saltwater.

 

[Jefferson Shank]

I think Short-Billed Dowitcher.

But I will wait for the experts to chime in.

[AlexHenry]

A couple things look good for Short-billed - namely the fairly deep-based bill with the suggestion of a slight droop toward the distal third. However - I am not comfortable calling this and would probably leave it as Dowitcher sp. The bill is pretty long for Short-billed and definitely within range of Long-billed. Without a better look at more supporting features, such as primary projection beyond tertials, width of white barring on tail, etc, I'm just not certain about it. 

[floraphile]

Hi, Alex.  Can we use the saltwater location to eliminate Long-billed?

[AlexHenry]

21 hours ago, floraphile said:

Hi, Alex.  Can we use the saltwater location to eliminate Long-billed?

These are more like habitat preferences than hard and fast rules. If there is salt and freshwater right nearby, usually the Short-bills will gravitate to the salt and the Long-bills will gravitate to the fresh. However, you shouldn't base an identification on this as either species can be found in either habitat, especially during migration.

The being said, the bird in the photo is probably a Short-billed Dowitcher. Bill shape looks good for Short-billed, and overall compared to this bird Long-billed usually look more chunky in the breast, belly and upper back area, with a sort of indentation in the lower back. But the differences in shape are less apparent among younger birds.

I'm definitely leaning toward Short-billed here. Just not sure.

[Phalarope713]

I agree with Short-billed here. Bill is somewhat short and drooping at the tip. Also, I would expect Long-billed to be more rotund in body shape.