Long-billed Dowitcher

Status Rare transient. A bird collected on Sable Island and labelled 4 October 1897 was identified as this species by Pitelka (1950). There were no further records until 20 September 1969, when Charles R.K. Allen and Ian A. McLaren saw and heard two near Musquodoboit Harbour, Halifax County. Since then autumn migrants, generally in ones and twos, have been reported every year except 1972, between 12 August and 11 November. A number of later dowitchers could have been this species, and four early ones, identified near Amherst as Long-billed Dowitchers on the basis of their calls on 1-10 July 1977 (C. Desplanque) could have been failed breeders.

Remarks This bird breeds in Alaska, northwestern Canada and eastern Siberia and migrates largely down the west coast. It is similar to the Short-billed Dowitcher, especially in winter plumage, but its bill is longer, sometimes markedly so. White barring on the tail is narrower, giving it a darker appearance. Juveniles can be distinguished from those of the Short-billed Dowitcher by the narrower rusty edgings on their back feathers and by the lack of barring on the tertial wing feathers. The surest aid to identification is the call, a sharp keek as opposed to the Short-billed Dowitcher's tu-tu-tu.

It seems likely that the greater acumen of observers accounts for the almost annual records in recent years, because it is improbable that the species has only recently begun to visit the province more regularly.