Black-Tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa
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Distribution Britain 59 (+37.2%) Ireland 9 (+50.0%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 47 Ireland 2 European status: 145,000 (0% in Britain and Ireland) British population trend: set to increase How likely are you to record it? 3 squares (0.1%) Ranked 171= |
These large and handsome waders had ceased to breed regularly in eastern counties from Yorkshire to Suffolk, by 1855. Sporadic nesting restarted in 1934 and regularly at the Ouse Washes in 1952 (Nene Washes 25 years later). Others have nested in various marshes from Northumberland to Kent, on the Somerset Levels and in the North-west possibly from Anglesey to the Solway. Currently the annual total is 40 to 50 pairs. These are probably the nominate race limosa but a few Icelandic birds (islandica) have bred in Northern Scotland (regularly Shetland), in the last 40 years. The first breeding record in Ireland was 1975 and scattered pairs (islandica) continue to nest regularly. Prospects seem pretty good from Iceland and the Continent.
The following Bird On! picture is available:
Black-tailed Godwit (Watercolour by Robert Gillmor)
The following Bird On! sketch is available:
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead