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Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
IUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Least Concern |
| 2009 | Least Concern |
| 2008 | Least Concern |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 1,470,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 6,870,000 | medium |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | poor | Estimated | 2009 | |
| Population trend | Decreasing | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 8.9 | - | - | - |
| Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.1,100,000-1,200,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2006), while national population estimates include: < c.10,000 individuals on migration and c.50-1,000 wintering individuals in China; c.50-1,000 individuals on migration and c.50-1,000 wintering individuals in Taiwan and c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration in Russia (Brazil 2009). | ||||
| Trend justification: The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations may be stable and others have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006). | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Vagrant | No | |||
| Algeria | Native | No | |||
| American Samoa | Native | No | |||
| Angola | Native | No | |||
| Armenia | Native | No | |||
| Australia | Native | No | |||
| Austria | Native | No | |||
| Azerbaijan | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Bahrain | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Bangladesh | Native | No | |||
| Belarus | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Belgium | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Benin | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Bermuda (to UK) | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Botswana | Native | No | |||
| Brazil | Vagrant | No | |||
| British Indian Ocean Territory | Native | No | |||
| Brunei | Native | No | |||
| Bulgaria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Burundi | Vagrant | No | |||
| Cambodia | Native | No | |||
| Cameroon | Native | No | |||
| Canada | Native | No | |||
| Cape Verde | Native | No | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Native | No | |||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Christmas Island (to Australia) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Comoros | Native | No | |||
| Congo | Native | No | |||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | Vagrant | No | |||
| Croatia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Cyprus | Native | No | |||
| Czech Republic | Native | No | |||
| Denmark | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Djibouti | Native | No | |||
| Egypt | Native | No | |||
| Equatorial Guinea | Vagrant | No | |||
| Eritrea | Native | No | |||
| Estonia | Native | No | |||
| Ethiopia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Fiji | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Finland | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| France | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| French Southern Territories | Vagrant | No | |||
| Gabon | Native | No | |||
| Gambia | Native | No | |||
| Georgia | Native | No | |||
| Germany | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Ghana | Native | No | |||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Greece | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Guam (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Guinea | Native | No | |||
| Guinea-Bissau | Native | No | |||
| Hong Kong (China) | Native | No | |||
| Hungary | Native | No | |||
| Iceland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| India | Native | No | |||
| Indonesia | Native | No | |||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Iraq | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Ireland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Israel | Native | No | |||
| Italy | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Japan | Native | No | |||
| Jordan | Vagrant | No | |||
| Kazakhstan | Native | No | |||
| Kenya | Native | No | |||
| Kiribati | Native | No | |||
| Kuwait | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Kyrgyzstan | Native | No | |||
| Latvia | Native | No | |||
| Lebanon | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Liberia | Vagrant | No | |||
| Libya | Native | No | |||
| Liechtenstein | Vagrant | No | |||
| Luxembourg | Vagrant | No | |||
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Madagascar | Native | No | |||
| Malawi | Native | No | |||
| Malaysia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Maldives | Native | No | |||
| Malta | Vagrant | No | |||
| Marshall Islands | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mauritania | Native | No | |||
| Mauritius | Vagrant | No | |||
| Mayotte (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Mexico | Vagrant | No | |||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Moldova | Native | No | |||
| Mongolia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Montenegro | Vagrant | No | |||
| Morocco | Native | No | |||
| Mozambique | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Namibia | Native | No | |||
| Nauru | Native | No | |||
| Netherlands | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| New Caledonia (to France) | Native | No | |||
| New Zealand | Native | No | |||
| Nigeria | Native | No | |||
| Niue (to New Zealand) | Native | No | |||
| North Korea | Native | No | |||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Norway | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Oman | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Pakistan | Native | No | |||
| Palau | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Papua New Guinea | Native | No | |||
| Philippines | Native | No | |||
| Poland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Portugal | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | Native | No | |||
| Qatar | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Réunion (to France) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Romania | Vagrant | No | |||
| Russia (Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Central Asian) | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Russia (European) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Samoa | Native | No | |||
| Saudi Arabia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| São Tomé e Príncipe | Vagrant | No | |||
| Senegal | Native | No | |||
| Serbia | Vagrant | No | |||
| Seychelles | Native | No | |||
| Sierra Leone | Native | No | |||
| Singapore | Native | No | |||
| Slovakia | Native | No | |||
| Slovenia | Vagrant | No | |||
| Solomon Islands | Native | No | |||
| Somalia | Native | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | |||
| South Korea | Native | No | |||
| Spain | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Sri Lanka | Native | No | |||
| St Helena (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Sudan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Sweden | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland | Native | No | |||
| Syria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Taiwan (China) | Native | No | |||
| Tanzania | Native | No | |||
| Thailand | Native | No | |||
| Timor-Leste | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Togo | Native | No | |||
| Tonga | Native | No | |||
| Tunisia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Turkey | Native | No | |||
| Turkmenistan | Native | No | |||
| Ukraine | Native | No | Yes | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| United Kingdom | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| USA | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Uzbekistan | Native | No | |||
| Vanuatu | Native | No | |||
| Venezuela | Vagrant | No | |||
| Vietnam | Native | No | |||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Western Sahara | Native | No | |||
| Yemen | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Zambia | Native | No | |||
| Zimbabwe | Vagrant | No |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Eighty Mile Beach |  |
| Australia | Great Sandy Strait | |
| Australia | Moreton Bay and Pumicestone Passage | |
| Australia | Roebuck Bay | |
| China (mainland) | Laizhou Wan | |
| China (mainland) | Shuangtai (Shuangtaizi) Estuary and Inner Gulf of Liaodong | |
| China (mainland) | Yalu Jiang Estuary | |
| Denmark | Fanø | |
| Denmark | Ho Bugt meadows | |
| Denmark | Horsens Fjord, Svanegrunden & Endelave | |
| Denmark | Mandø | |
| Denmark | Nissum Fjord | |
| Denmark | Northwestern Kattegat | |
| Denmark | Rømø | |
| Denmark | Ringkøbing Fjord | |
| Denmark | Skallingen and Langli | |
| Denmark | Tøndermarsken, Magisterkog and Rudbøl Sø | |
| Denmark | Vadehavet (Wadden Sea) | |
| Finland | Käsivarsi fjelds | |
| Finland | Kevo | |
| Finland | Lemmenjoki-Hammastunturi-Pulju | |
| Finland | Saariselkä and Koilliskaira | |
| Finland | Sammutinjänkä-Vaijoenjänkä | |
| France | Baie de Bourgneuf et marais breton | |
| France | Baie de Goulven | |
| France | Baie de Saint-Brieuc | |
| France | Baie du Mont Saint Michel et Ile des Landes | |
| France | Bassin d'Arcachon et Banc d'Arguin | |
| France | Cap Gris-nez | |
| France | Estuaire et embouchure de la Seine | |
| France | Estuaires du Trieux et du Jaudy | |
| France | Estuaires picards : baies de Somme et d'Authie | |
| France | Marais poitevin et baie de l'Aiguillon | |
| Guinea-Bissau | Arquipélago dos Bijagós | |
| Guinea-Bissau | Rio Mansôa and Gêba estuary | |
| Guinea-Bissau | Rio Tombali, Rio Cumbijã and Ilha de Melo | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Bahu Kalat (Gandu) Protected Area | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Khouran Straits | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Rud-i-Gaz and Rud-i-Hara deltas | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Rud-i-Shur, Rud-i-Shirin and Rud-i-Minab deltas | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Shadegan marshes and tidal mudflats of Khor-al Amaya and Khor Musa | |
| Malaysia | North-central Selangor coast | |
| Mauritania | Banc d'Arguin National Park | |
| Morocco | Baie d'Ad Dakhla | |
| Morocco | Lagune de Khnifiss | |
| Netherlands | Ameland: Duinen-Oerd | |
| Netherlands | Balgzand | |
| Netherlands | Dollard | |
| Netherlands | Frisian Wadden Sea coast | |
| Netherlands | Griend | |
| Netherlands | Groningen Wadden Sea coast | |
| Netherlands | Oosterschelde | |
| Netherlands | Schiermonnikoog | |
| Netherlands | Terschelling: De Boschplaat | |
| Netherlands | Texel: Dunes and Hors | |
| Netherlands | Texel: Schorren and Zeeburg | |
| Netherlands | Vlieland | |
| Netherlands | Wadden Sea | |
| Netherlands | Westerschelde and Saeftinghe | |
| Norway | Inner part of Porsanger fjord | |
| Norway | Varangerfjord | |
| Oman | Barr al Hikman | |
| Oman | Masirah island | |
| Portugal | Ria Formosa (Faro lagoon) | |
| Russia (Asian) | Malkachan tundra | |
| Russia (Asian) | Moroshechnaya river | |
| Russia (Asian) | Rekinninskaya bay | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Basins of the Schuchya and Khadytayakha rivers | |
| Russia (Central Asian) | Valley of headwaters of the river Schuchya | |
| Russia (European) | Seskar island | |
| Saudi Arabia | Jizan Bay | |
| Saudi Arabia | Tarut Bay | |
| South Korea | Asan Bay (including Asan-ho lake and Sapgyo-ho lake) | |
| South Korea | Baeksu tidal flat | |
| South Korea | Dongjin estuary | |
| South Korea | Geum-gang river and estuary | |
| South Korea | Mangyeong estuary | |
| South Korea | Nakdong-gang estuary | |
| South Korea | Namyang Bay | |
| South Korea | Suncheon Bay | |
| South Korea | Tidal flat area of Yeongjong-do island | |
| South Korea | Yubu-do island | |
| Spain | Cape Candelaria-Ortigueira estuary-Cape Estaca de Bares | |
| Spain | Cádiz bay | |
| Spain | Ebro delta | |
| Spain | Isla Cristina and Ayamonte marshes and Prado lagoon | |
| Sweden | Taavavuoma | |
| Tunisia | Kneiss | |
| Ukraine | Syvash Bay | |
| United Arab Emirates | Khor al Beideh | |
| United Arab Emirates | Khor Dubai | |
| United Kingdom | Chichester and Langstone Harbours | |
| United Kingdom | Eden Estuary, Tentsmuir Point and Abertay Sands | |
| United Kingdom | Exe Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Firth of Forth | |
| United Kingdom | Firth of tay | |
| United Kingdom | Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Gibraltar Point | |
| United Kingdom | Hamford Water | |
| United Kingdom | Humber Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Lindisfarne | |
| United Kingdom | Lough Foyle and River Foyle | |
| United Kingdom | Mid-Essex Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Moray Basin, Firths and Bays | |
| United Kingdom | Moray Basin, Firths and Bays | |
| United Kingdom | Morecambe Bay | |
| United Kingdom | North Norfolk Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Ribble and Alt Estuaries | |
| United Kingdom | Strangford Lough and islands | |
| United Kingdom | The Swale | |
| United Kingdom | The Wash | |
| United Kingdom | The Wash | |
| United Kingdom | Uists Machairs, Lochs and Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Upper Solway Flats and Marshes | |
| United Kingdom | West Coast of Benbecula | |
| USA | Egegik Bay | |
| USA | Nelson Lagoon-Mud Bay | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | major | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Tundra Wetlands (incl. pools and temporary waters from snowmelt) | major | breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 440 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Threats & impact
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Future | Whole (>90%) | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| |||||||||
Utilisation
| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food (human) | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | International | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Sport | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Limosa lapponica. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 21/05/2013.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
| Family | Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and allies) |
| Species name author | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Decreasing |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 1,470,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
| - Summary information on this species | |
|
|