Hudsonian Godwit

Category: Environment | Species Conservation | Geography

UPSC Notes

The Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica) is a migratory shorebird found mainly in the Americas. It breeds in northern regions, including parts of Alaska and northern Canada, and migrates to South America for the non-breeding season.

It depends on wetlands, coastal mudflats and estuarine habitats for feeding and resting during migration.

Key Pointers

  • Order: Charadriiformes.

  • Family: Scolopacidae.

  • Distribution: North and South America.

  • Habitat: Tundra, marshes, mudflats and estuaries.

  • Diet: Aquatic invertebrates and other small organisms.

  • Threats: Wetland loss, coastal development, disturbance and climate-related changes in breeding habitat.

  • Identification: Long bill, long legs and a distinctive migratory life cycle.

UPSC focus: Flyways, wetland conservation, migratory species and international biodiversity cooperation.