Black-tailed Godwit

36-43 cm. Slightly smaller than Bar-tailed but legs longer; bill longer and straighter, pink with black tip. Non-breeding: more evenly grey and buffish; less streaked. Breeding Plumage: male: head, neck and breast buffish to rusty; eyebrow cream; upperparts richly patterned black and rusty; flanks barred black and white. Female: head/neck buffish. Immature: richer buffish neck and breast; buff edges to dark feathers of upperparts. Small parties to companies of hundreds; often with Bar-tails: compare bills and look for Black-tail's white underwing when stretching. Feeding movements unhurried; probes mud deeply. Flight swift, often low over water, occasionally erratic: note bold white wingbar across black flight feathers; white underwing, white rump and black tail; legs extend further beyond tail than Bar-tailed.