Limosa limosa

Limosa limosa

The black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa, Linnaeus 1758) is a bird belonging to the Scolopacidae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Animalia,
Phylum Chordata,
Subphylum Vertebrata,
Aves class,
Order Charadriiformes,
Suborder Piarist,
family Scolopacidae,
Genus Limosa,
L. limosa species.
The terms are synonyms:
– Limosa belgica (J.F.Gmelin);
– Scolopax limosa Linnaeus, 1758.
Within this species, the following subspecies are recognised:
– L. limosa. islandica – Brehm, 1831: which nests mainly in Iceland, but also in the Faroe Islands, Shetland and Lofoten. It has a shorter beak, shorter legs and a more reddish colouration which, compared to the loam, extends onto the belly.
– L. limosa. limosa – (Linnaeus, 1758): which breeds from western and central Europe to central Asia and Asiatic Russia, up to the Yenisei river. The head, neck and chest are pale orange.
– L. limosa. melanuroides – Gould, 1846: which nests in Mongolia, northern China, Siberia and far eastern Russia. Its plumage is similar to the Icelandic, but the bird is markedly smaller.
L. limosa. bohaii – Zhu, Piersma, Verkuil & Conklin, 2020: presumed to breed in the Russian Far East; non-breeding in Northeast China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
The Limosa limosa is a bird present as a nester in Iceland and much more locally in central Europe and central-western Asia. it is a migratory bird that winters from the Mediterranean to the equator in Africa and India. In Italy we find it as a step in September-November and in March-May.
The Icelandic population winters mainly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and the Netherlands, although some fly to Spain, Portugal and possibly Morocco. Western European siltybirds fly south to Morocco and then to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. Birds from Eastern European populations migrate to Tunisia and Algeria, then to Mali or Chad. Young birds of European populations remain in Africa after their first winter and return to Europe at the age of two. Asian individuals winter in Australia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Their breeding range is discontinuous and extends from Iceland to the extreme east of Russia. Their breeding habitat is river marshes, alluviums at the edge of large lakes, wet steppes, raised bogs and heaths. An important part of the European population now uses secondary habitats: wet lowland grasslands, coastal grazing marshes, pastures, wetlands near ponds or sewage systems and saline lagoons but can also reproduce in sugar beet, potato and rye fields in the countries Netherlands and in Germany.

Description –
The Limosa limosa is a medium-large size wader with an overall length of 43 cm and a weight of about 230 gr, without sexual dimorphism.
The beak is up to 20 cm long on a relatively small head, straight in the basal part and with a very slight arch at the top in the apical part.
The legs are 20 centimeters long and dark grey, brown or black in colour.
Recognizable, in all seasons, by the white longitudinal bars present in the upper edge of the wings and by the black band crossing the extreme rear edge of the tail, which is short and almost square.
– Summer livery: reddish fawn head, chin and chest. Ditto for the belly and undertail which, however, are characterized by a white background tint. Blackish-brown wings and rump.
– Winter livery: without prejudice to the brownish color of the wings, the rest of the livery assumes a uniform color tending towards grey-whitish. substantially similar sexes, but the female has less lively colours.
Although the sexes are similar in breeding plumage they can be distinguished by the male’s brighter and more extensive orange breast, neck and head. Juveniles have a pale orange color on the neck and breast.
In flight, its bold black and white wings and white rump can be seen easily.
As for singing, in flight, the verses include a short or repeated kip (kip-kip-kip). On groundbait, they produce lower, deeper kett or chuk sounds. During the nuptial flight, the male soars upwards making nasal wicka-wicka-wicka sounds, a hoarse wee-eeh, and a slow high-pitched kititititititiu.

Biology –
The Limosa limosa is a gregarious and monogamous bird.
This species breeds mainly in wet lowland grasslands, grassy marshes, wet pastures (L. l. limosa) and heaths (L. l. islandica) and overwinters in estuaries, lagoons, sandy beaches, inland wetlands and rice paddies .
The L.l. limosa usually frequents freshwater habitats in winter, while the other two subspecies prefer habitats around estuaries.
In the mating areas, if the male is without a mate, he exhibits in nuptial parades which consist of vaulting in the air, rapid ascents alternating with wing beats and the emission of a characteristic and slow call.
In the year, only one brood takes place and between April and June.
The nest is made up of leaves, twigs and feathers in a depression in the ground between the vegetation, in small colonies of up to three pairs per hectare, in swampy or even sandy areas, but always near the sea or water basins.
The laid eggs are incubated for 22-24 days by both the female and the male.
The parents watch over the offspring and, if an intruder approaches, they try to drive him away by flying around him in a circle and emitting particularly sharp cries.
The chicks are precocious; looked after by both parents they become independent at about 4 weeks.

Ecological role –
The Limosa limosa is a bird that generally leads a gregarious life throughout the year and often associates with other medium or large-sized waders.
Birds band together to defend themselves from predators and intruders. Outside the reproductive season, this species forms large flocks which, in areas suited to their needs, can be composed of thousands of specimens.
This species has a powerful, direct flight during which the body is held horizontally and the legs are stretched back and extend beyond the tip of the tail. This migratory species travels over a large land front. It travels long distances and reaches the wintering areas in a few stages. Southward migration occurs from late June to October, and northward migration occurs in February/April. During the autumn migration it can stop in flocks of tens of thousands of individuals in privileged sites and this is the main moulting period for adult birds.
This bird walks easily on the ground, enters the water up to sinking its belly, at times immersing its whole head to probe the bottom looking for food and, not infrequently, swims. In the nesting areas, it feeds on a variety of invertebrates such as insects and their larvae (especially beetles), annelids, molluscs, crustaceans, crabs, spiders and fish eggs, frog eggs and tadpoles. In particular, during the winter and during migration it also consumes berries and seeds, especially rice. In wintering grounds, it feeds mainly on rice, as well as larvae and snails.
As mentioned, it reproduces above all in the prairies of the humid plains, in the grassy marshes, in the humid pastures (L. l. limosa) and in the heaths (L. l. islandica) and winters in estuaries, lagoons, sandy beaches, inland wetlands and rice fields . L.l. limosa usually frequents freshwater habitats in winter, while the other two subspecies prefer habitats around estuaries.
A study of specimens from the Netherlands found a mortality rate of 37.6% in the first year of life, 32% in the second year and 36.9% thereafter.
The world population probably decreased at an average rate of about 23% in the 25 years preceding 2015 and the species has been classified in the Near Threatened category of the IUCN Red List. In Europe, population size is estimated to decrease by 30-49% in 25.8 years. In NW Europe, various measures and actions, in particular agri-environmental ones, aim to reduce the negative impact of agricultural intensification, but their effect is considered small and insufficient.
The species is threatened in nesting sites (Europe), migration routes, staging sites (Europe and Africa) and wintering areas (Africa). Factors directly affecting population size include: nest destruction and increased chick mortality due to grassland clearing, and nest and chick predation. In the Netherlands (where about 50% of the population reproduces), about twenty species have been identified, including birds and mammals, predators of eggs or chicks of L. l. loamy. Predation, which is on the rise, causes between 70% and 85% of chick losses. Very little is known about how much pollution and possible contamination with chemicals harm birds.
Throughout its range in northwestern Europe, the subspecies L. l. limosa faces loss and degradation of its breeding habitat, mainly due to urbanization and infrastructure development, conversion of grasslands to arable land, and reduction of open spaces. This has led to a general decline in the subspecies. In central and eastern Europe, land-use changes and, in particular, the abandonment of large-scale agricultural activities pose a serious threat to L. l. silty, leading to the closure of the breeding sites due to the progressive invasion of the vegetation. Furthermore, climate change could affect the future of this species in a number of ways.
Furthermore, this species is not legally hunted in Western Europe. In its main wintering areas in West Africa, it is hunted for consumption or to reduce the damage it is thought to cause to rice fields, but hunting in Casamance, Guinea-Bissau and Mali does not appear to be important. As far as the Icelandic subspecies is concerned, it should be considered that in Iceland most of the flat areas are used for (agriculture) for the breeding of sheep, horses and cattle and, more rarely, for the cultivation of barley. Since the mid-20th century, more than 90% of wetlands have been drained in the south and west of the country.
While this species is widespread and has a large global population, its population has declined rapidly in parts of its range due to changes in agricultural practices. Overall, the global population is estimated to be declining at such a rate that the species has been classified in the Near Threatened category of the IUCN Red List. The world population is estimated at 614,000-809,000 individuals, of which 102,000-149,000 pairs in Europe (including 25,000 pairs in Iceland); 25,000-100,000 in West Central Asia; 150,000 in Central Asia and Siberia and 160,000 in the rest of Asia and Australia. Available information suggests that the world population probably decreased at an average rate of about 23% in the 25 years prior to 2015. In Europe, population size is estimated to decrease by 30-49% in 25.8 years (three generations).
As far as protection measures are concerned, we start from Directive 2009/147/EC, which aims at the conservation of all species of wild birds, establishing rules for their protection, conservation, management and regulation.
An EU Management Plan for 2007-2009 has been adopted. This Plan was then replaced by the Action Plan of the Conservation des Oiseaux d’Eau Migrateurs d’Afrique-Eurasie (AEWA) at the end of 2008. In North-Western Europe, various measures and actions, in particular agri-environmental ones, aim to reduce the negative impact of agricultural intensification, but their effect is considered modest and insufficient. In addition, several significant wintering grounds are protected areas, as are several breeding sites in the UK and the Netherlands. In France, the National Tailed Godwit Management Plan 2015-2020 was launched with measures consisting of regulatory protection of areas, land management, contractual management, prevention, reduction and compensation of negative impacts on natural environments, laws and regulations favoring the conservation of wetlands, etc. A similar action plan was developed in Senegal in 2016.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– C.Battisti, D. Taffon, F. Giucca, 2008. Atlas of nesting birds, Gangemi Editore, Rome.
– L. Svensson, K.Mullarney, D. Zetterstrom, 1999. Guide to Birds of Europe, North Africa and the Near East, Harper Collins Publisher, UK.

Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/261701299/original.jpeg