The Long-billed Dowitcher 
Long-billed Dowitchers are well distributed through California, 
especially coastwise, during the migrations. A few linger to winter 
both in southern California and in the central valley. A straggler may 
now and then be seen in summer time, but there is no suspicion that they 
breed with us. 
The typical breeding range is Alaska, and Nelson found them mating 
at the mouth of the Yukon about June 1st. “Two or three males start 
in pursuit of a female and away they go twisting and turning, here and 
there, over marsh and stream, with marvelous swiftness and dexterity. 
At short distances a male checks his flight for a moment to utter a strident 
peet u weet; wee-too, wee-too; then on he goes full tilt again. After they 
are mated, or when a solitary male pays his devotions, they rise 15 
or 20 yards from the ground, where, hovering upon quivering wings, the 
birds pour forth a lisping but energetic and frequent musical song, which 
can be very imperfectly expressed by the syllables peet-peet; pee-ter-wee- 
too; wee-too; pee-ter-wee-too; pee-ter-wee-too; wee-too; wee-too. This is 
the complete song, but frequently only fragments are sung, as when 
the bird is in pursuit of the female.” 1 
The eggs, four in number, and closely resembling those of the Wilson 
Snipe, are placed in a shallow depression formed by the bird’s body in 
the soft moss which covers the ground in that region. 
1 E. W. Nelson: “Rep. of Natl. Hist. Colls, made in Alaska,” 1881, p. 101. 
Taken near Santa Barbara 
A PROBING INQUIRY 
Photo by the Author 
I22J 
