(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - dowitcher, short-billed
OTHER COMMON NAMES -
ELEMENT CODE - 04/06/84
AOU CODE - 10/15/85
CATEGORY - Birds
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Aves,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Charadriiformes,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Scolopacidae,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Limnodromus,
SPECIES AND SSP - griseus,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Limnodromus griseus
AUTHORITY - Gmelin
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 624
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Federal Migratory
Nongame-Protected
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 4179, 758 and 733
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
Protected - cannot be legally hunted or sold *733*
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
References on County Occurrence - 001, 003, 005, 007, 009, 011, 013, 015, 017, 019, 021, 023, 025, 027, 029, 031, 033, 035, 036, 037, 041, 043, 045, 047, 049, 051, 053, 057, 059, 061, 063, 065, 067, 069, 071, 073, 075, 077, 079, 081, 083, 085, 087, 089, 091, 093, 095, 097, 099, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 121, 125, 127, 131, 133, 135, 137, 139, 141, 143, 145, 147, 149, 153, 155, 157, 159, 161, 163, 165, 167, 169, 171, 173, 175, 177, 179, 181, 183, 185, 187, 191, 193, 195, 197, 199, 510, 515, 520, 530, 540, 550, 560, 570, 580, 590, 595, 600, 610, 620, 630, 640, 650, 660, 670, 678, 680, 683, 685, 690, 700, 710, 720, 730, 735, 740, 750, 760, 770, 775, 780, 790, 800, 810, 820, 830, 840, CB1, CB2, CB3 and AO1
References on Seasonal Occurrence - Abundant transient; rare to uncommon visitor along coast;
rare fall and spring transient in mountain regions *700,609,624*
References on County Abundance - 007, 037, 089, 141, 025, 075, 107, 125, 143, 177, 011, 061, 109, 145, 029, 111, 147, 031, 047, 065, 081, 113, 049, 067, 083, 135, 003, 019, 117, 137, 053, 157, 023, 057, 073, 105, 121, 159, 175, 193, 540, 610, 680, 750, 820, 009, 041, 059, 091, 161, 195, 620, 690, 760, 830, 027, 043, 077, 127, 163, 179, 197, 560, 630, 770, 840, 013, 045, 063, 079, 095, 165, 181, 570, 640, 775, CB1, 097, 133, 149, 167, 183, 510, 580, 720, 780, CB2, 033, 099, 115, 153, 169, 185, 515, 590, 660, 730, 790, CB3, 035, 051, 069, 085, 101, 155, 171, 187, 520, 595, 670, 735, 005, 021, 036, 071, 087, 103, 119, 139, 173, 191, 530, 600, 678, 740, 550, 093, 700, 131, 199, 710, 650, 001, 800, AO1 and 810
REFERENCES FOR HYDROLOGIC UNIT CODES - 550, 093, 700, 131, 199, 710, 650, 001, 800, AO1 and 810
OTHER DISTRIBUTION
REFERENCES FOR OTHER DISTRIBUTION - F
Comments on Distribution -
Resident only in some coastal counties, transient over
entire state *609,700,624*
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - Aquatic
REFERENCES FOR HABITAT - 4188, 4189, 4179 and 4181
LAND USE -
Cropland and Pasture
Water
Streams and Canals
Lakes
Reservoirs
Bays and Estuaries
Chesapeake Bay
Atlantic Ocean Coastal Waters
Wetland
Nonforested Wetland
Barren Land
Beaches
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 4188, 4184, 4189, 4182, 4187 and 4181
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Lacustrine, littoral FL. N 2
Lacustrine, littoral BB. N 3
Riverine, lower perennial BB. N
Riverine, lower perennial FL.
Palustrine FL.
Marine, intertidal BB2
Estuarine, intertidal EM.
Estuarine, intertidal FL2
Estuarine, intertidal FL3
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 4181, 1169, 528, 4182, 4187 and 4189
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
Occurs along edges of muddy ponds, bays, marshy lakes and
ponds, on mud flats and sand flats *1169,528*
POTENTIAL NATURAL VEGETATION -
065 Northern Cordgrass Prairie (Distichlis-Spartina)
101 Oak - Hickory - Pine Forest (Quercus-Carya-Pinus)
103 Southern Floodplain Forest (Quercus-Nyssa-Taxodium)
REFERENCES FOR PNV - 609
ECOREGION -
Southeastern Mixed Forest: Flat Plains
REFERENCES FOR ECOREGION - 609
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
Carnivore
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 4186, 4182, 4184 and 4166
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Plants Fruit/Seeds
General Polychaetes Not Specified
General Oligochaetes Not Specified
General Annelids Not Specified
General Molluscs Not Specified
General Malacostraca Not Specified
General Ostracods Not Specified
General Crustaceans Egg/Fetus stage
General Animals Egg/Fetus stage
Important Polychaetes Not Specified
Important Annelids Not Specified
Important Molluscs Not Specified
Important Malacostraca Egg/Fetus stage
Important Crustaceans Egg/Fetus stage
Important Animals Egg/Fetus stage
Adult Plants Fruit/Seeds
Adult Polychaetes Not Specified
Adult Oligochaetes Not Specified
Adult Annelids Not Specified
Adult Molluscs Not Specified
Adult Malacostraca Not Specified
Adult Ostracods Not Specified
Adult Crustaceans Egg/Fetus stage
Adult Animals Egg/Fetus stage
Adult See Comments; Food See Comments
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 4166, 4184, 4182 and 4186
REFERENCES FOR IMPORTANT FOOD - 4184
REFERENCES FOR ADULT FOOD - 4166, 4184, 4182 and 4186
COMMENTS ON ADULT FOOD -
9999S=feeds on grasshoppers, beetles, flies, maggots, marine
worms, leeches, fish eggs, small mollusks, and occasionally seeds of
aquatic plants *528,1169*
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Inland Wetlands: Seasonally flooded lands with emergent vegetation
G Aquatic Features: Silt bottom streams
G Coastal Features: Mudflats
G Coastal Features: Sand beaches
G Coastal Features: Sand bars
G Soil Needs: Sand
G Coastal Wetlands: Coastal salt meadows
G Coastal Wetlands: Regularly flooded salt marshes
G Coastal Wetlands: Sounds and bays
G Coastal Wetlands: Mangrove swamps
G Inland Wetlands: Shrub swamps
G Water Depth Preference: Less than 1 ft.
G Aquatic/Terrestrial Ecotones: Woodland/water
G Aquatic/Terrestrial Ecotones: Woodland/grassland
G Inland Wetlands: Inland open fresh water
G Coastal Features: Specified in Comments
G Human Association: Abandoned buildings
G Soil Compaction: Easily penetrated
G Soil Moisture: Wet
G Soil Moisture: Moist
G Density of Aquatic Vegetation: Low
G Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Shallows with emergent vegetation [littoral zone]
G Coastal Wetlands: Coastal salt flats
G Water Level: Permanently flooded areas
LIM Coastal Features: Specified in Comments
LIM Aquatic/Terrestrial Ecotones: Woodland/water
LIM Inland Wetlands: Shrub swamps
LIM Inland Wetlands: Seasonally flooded lands with emergent vegetation
LIM Inland Wetlands: Inland deep fresh marshes
LIM Coastal Features: Mudflats
LIM Coastal Wetlands: Regularly flooded salt marshes
LIM Soil Moisture: Wet
LIM Soil Moisture: Moist
LIM Soil Compaction: Easily penetrated
LIM Soil Needs: Sand
LIM Water Depth Preference: Less than 1 ft.
LIM Aquatic Habitat Zonation: Shallows with emergent vegetation [littoral zone]
FA Coastal Features: Mudflats
FA Coastal Features: Sand beaches
FA Soil Compaction: Easily penetrated
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
FA Soil Moisture: Wet
FA Soil Moisture: Moist
FA Soil Needs: Sand
FA Coastal Wetlands: Regularly flooded salt marshes
FA Coastal Wetlands: Sounds and bays
FA Coastal Wetlands: Mangrove swamps
FA Water Depth Preference: Less than 1 ft.
FA Inland Wetlands: Inland fresh meadows [fen]
FA Coastal Features: Specified in Comments
FA Density of Aquatic Vegetation: Low
FA Coastal Wetlands: Coastal salt flats
FA Coastal Wetlands: Coastal salt meadows
FA Aquatic Features: Silt bottom streams
RA Inland Wetlands: Shrub swamps
RA Human Association: Abandoned buildings
RA Aquatic Features: Silt bottom streams
BA Inland Wetlands: Shrub swamps
BA Inland Wetlands: Wooded swamps
BA Aquatic/Terrestrial Ecotones: Woodland/water
BA Aquatic/Terrestrial Ecotones: Woodland/grassland
BA Aquatic/Terrestrial Ecotones: Grassland/water
BA Inland Wetlands: Inland shallow fresh marshes
BA Coastal Features: Specified in Comments
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 4188, 4184, 4189, 4179, 4186, 4187, 4181, 4182, 1169 and 528
REFERENCES FOR LIMITING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 4188, 4184, 4189, 4179, 4186, 4187, 4181 and 4182
REFERENCES FOR FEEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 4188, 4184, 4189, 4179, 4186, 4187, 4181, 4182, 1169 and 528
REFERENCES FOR RESTING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 4187, 1169 and 528
REFERENCES FOR BREEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 4189, 624, 4179 and 4187
COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS -
99999S=breeds in arctic regions of Canada and U.S., in
marshy habitats *4189,4179,4187*; feeds almost exclusively in intertidal
mud and sand flats *4186,4189,4184,4188,4182,4181*; 00420S=forages and
breeds on islands *4181,4187*
COMMENTS ON RESTING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
rests in marshes and meadows hidden on ground in
vegetation *1169*
COMMENTS ON FEEDING ADULT ENVIRONTAL ASSOC_ -
00420S=feeds on coastal islands *4181*
COMMENTS ON BREEDING ADULT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ -
99999S=breeds in artic regions of Canada & U.S.
*624,4189,4179,4187*; 00420S=sometimes breeds on islands *4181*
Environment Associations - 2 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
ORIGIN: Native *700,609*; BEHAVIOR: Territoriality=breeding
*4187*; Daily Periodicity=diurnal *1169*; feeding habitat use is related
to tide, peak use at midpoints of rising and ebbtides *4181*;
Migration=breeding/wintering *758,4179,624,700*; Foraging
Strategy/Sites=feed in cohesive flocks by probing soft substrate with
bill, feed primarily in intertidal regions of mudflats and sandflats in
water less than 6 cm deep *4188,4184,4189,4179,4186,4182,4181*; Nest
Site=on tundra and taiga borders near or in muskeg, sedge, wet or grass
meadows, on coast and islands *4189,4179,4187*; Development of
Young=precocial *4179*; Parental Care of Young=adults known to move eggs
to new nest site after human disturbance *4185*; AQUATIC/TERRESTRIAL
ASSOCIATIONS: Calidris pusillus, Calidris minutilla, Charadrius
semipalmatus, Arenaria ineterpres *1169,528 *
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 700, 609, 4187, 1169, 758, 4179, 624, 4188, 4184, 4189, 4186, 4182, 4181 and 4185
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Maintaining undisturbed/undeveloped areas
Beneficial Maintaining early stages of ecological succession
Beneficial Restricting/regulating human disturbance of populations
Beneficial Maintaining unique or special habitat features [wetlands, caves,
Beneficial Maintaining/protecting riparian habitats
Beneficial Developing/maintaining brackish marsh
Beneficial Developing/maintaining saline marsh
Beneficial Developing/maintaining freshwater marsh
Beneficial Developing/maintaining mudflats
Beneficial Developing/maintaining/protecting wetlands
Beneficial Creating impoundments
Beneficial Maintaining bogs
Beneficial Maintaining wilderness environment
Beneficial Developing/maintaining water holes, ponds, potholes, etc.
Adverse Draining wetlands, marshes, ponds, lakes
Adverse Other management practices [specified in comments]
REFERENCES FOR BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 4185, 4188, 4184, 4189, 4181 and 4182
REFERENCES FOR ADVERSE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 4184, 4189, 4181 and 4182
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
999(A)=Adversely affected by loss of habitat through
developement, draining, and filling of marshlands ; industrial
pollution, clean farming, intensive agricultural practices, intensive
recreational development, urban and agricultural development, creation
of suburban residential areas, channelization, application of of
herbicides, pesticides, and insecticides *1169*
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
References
528* Imhof, T.A. 1976. Alabama Birds, 2nd Ed.. Univ. Alabama
Press:445.
609* Peterson, R.T. 1980. Birds of eastern and central North
America. 4th Ed.. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston, Mass:384.
624* Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S. 1966. Birds of North
America: A Guide to Field Identification. Golden Press New York,
N.Y:340.
700* Ornithology, Virginia Society of. 1979. Virginia's
Birdlife: An Annotated Check-list. Virginia Avifauna No. 2.
Virginia Society of Ornithology Lynchburg, Va:118.
733* Commission, Pennsylvania Game. 1977. The Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania Game Laws. Penn. Game Comm. Harrisburg, Penn:137.
758* (ed.)1982. Fish and wildlife. 50 CFR 10 (Code of Federal
Regulations). General Serv. Admin. Washington, D.C:7.
1169* Bent, A.C. 1927. Life histories of North American shore
birds. Part I. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. No. 142:420.
4166* Gross, A.O. 1950. The herring gull-cormorant control
project. Proc. 10th Int. Congr. Ornithol.:532-536.
4179* Baker, M.C., Miller, A.E. 1973. Niche relationships among
six species of shorebirds on the wintering and breeding ranges.
Ecol. Monogr. 43(2):193-212.
4181* Burger, J., Howe, M.A., Caldwell, D.C., Chase, J. 1977.
Effects of tide cycles on habitat selection and habitat
partitioning by migrating shorebirds. Auk 94:743-758.
4182* Recher, H.F. 1966. Some aspects of the ecology of
migrating shorebirds. Ecology 47:393-407.
4184* Mallory, E.P., Schneider, D.C. 1979. Agonistic behavior in
short-billed dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus) feeding on a
patchy resource. Wilson Bull. 91(2):271-278.
4185* Jehl, J.R. 1979. Nest shifting by a dowitcher.
Bird-Banding 50(4):367-368.
4186* Quammen, M.L. 1982. Influence of subtle substrate
differences on feeding by shorebirds on intertidal mudflats.
Mar. Biol. 71(3):339-343.
4187* Gill, R.E., Jr., Petersen, M.R., Jorgensen, J.D. 1981.
Birds of the northcentral Alaska Peninsula, USA, 1976-1980.
Arctic 34(4):286-306.
References - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species dowitcher, short-billed
Species Id M040142
Date 26 AUG 96
4188* Quammen, M.L. 1981. Use of exclosures in studies of
predation by shorebirds on intertidal mudflats. Auk
98(4):812-817.
4189* Baker, M.C. 1979. Morphological correlates of habitat
selection in a community of shorebirds (Charadriiformes). Oikos
33(1):121-126.
References - 2