SHORE BIRDS 133 



THE MARBLED GODWIT* 



As is the case with many of our game birds, this species 

 bears a number of common names, such as the Straight- 

 billed Curlew, the Marbled or Brown INIarlin, the Red Cur- 

 lew, and, among sportsmen, the Dough and the Doe Bird. 



The geographical distribution of the Marbled Godwit 

 includes the whole of North America, though it is infre- 

 quent on the Atlantic coast. Its nesting range is chiefly 

 limited to the interior from Iowa and Nebraska northward 

 to the Saskatchewan. In winter it migrates to Central 

 America, Cuba, and the northern part of South America. 



In company with the long-billed curlew and some spe- 

 cies of sandpipers, it builds its nest on the grassy banks 

 of rivers and ponds, usually in some natural depression. 

 Occasionally, however, the nests are found on moist prai- 

 ries, some distance from a stream. In these grass-lined 

 nests are laid the three or four bright olivaceous, drab, or 

 creamj'--buff eggs that are variously spotted or blotched 

 with varying shades of brown. They are domestic and 

 seemingly devoted to their fellows. When one of their 

 mmiber is wounded and unable to fly, they will frequently 

 remain in the vicinity, flying around the spot where lies 

 their wounded comrade. 



Its food consists of the smaller crustaceans, worms, 

 snails, insects and their larvae. These are captured from 

 the surface of the water, on the shore, or are probed for 

 with the long, sensitive bills, in the soft soil of the banks 

 or under shallow water. When feeding, it moves in an 



