LONG-BILLED DOWITCHEE 



361 



in fall aiul winter by the almost uniform grayish upper surface and 

 unstriped lower parts. The Dowitcher resembh^s the Wilson Snipe 

 in general size and in its very long bill, but differs notably in the 

 absence of conspicuous streaking on the upper surface of its body and 

 in having a white nunp and distinct, though narrow, w'hite wing bars. 

 In spring plumage the Dowitcher may also be distinguished from 

 the Snipe by its reddish breast. In this plumage the Knot might be 

 confused with it, but the latter has a much shorter bill and a dusky 

 rump, and feeds in compact tlocks. In autumn the Dowitcher and 

 Wandering Tattler are somewhat similar in plumage, but the 

 Dowitcher may then be distinguished by its much longer bill, white 

 rump, barred upper tail coverts, and white wing bars. 



The Long-billed Dowitcher feeds out on the open flats, a habit 

 strongly in contrast with that of the Wilson Snipe, the latter bird 

 showing exclusive preference for grassy ground. The Dowitcher fre- 



22232 



Fig. 63. Side of bill of female Long-billed 

 Dowitcher. Natural size. 



Note similarity to bill of Wilson Snipe (com- 

 pare with fig. 64). 



quents the borders of marshes, sand and tide flats, and the edges of 

 inland pools of water, showing but little preference for salt over 

 fresh water. When along salt w^ater the birds retire to higher boggy 

 land during high tide and probe there for worms. The feeding flock 

 usually scatters out over the flat, which is in marked contrast to the 

 method of feeding employed by Knots. The Dowitchers probe indus- 

 triously, sinking the bill in vertically up to the very base. Often 

 when feeding the birds thrust the bill into the mud, withdraw it, 

 advance a step, again thrust it into the mud and so on, repeating the 

 process rapidly, so that the}^ remind one of a walking beam. While 

 feeding they keep up a continuous run of soft notes (Coues, 1874, p. 

 479). When alarmed the birds "freeze," with the head down and 

 close in to the body, the long bill pointing downward at an angle of 

 45 degrees. They frequently wade about in water as deep as the 

 length of their legs will permit, thrusting their long bills through the 

 water into the underlying mud. If they wander beyond their depth 

 they are able to swim with a fair degree of ease, and the same is true 



