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Posted by John Boyd on 09:04:01 05/20/08
In Reply to: Need help with ID - Green Cay Dowitcher? posted by Holly
This is a Short-billed Dowitcher, subspecies griseus (i.e., the eastern race).
The first step in shorebird ID is usually to age the bird. The red tones indicate it is in breeding plumage. Because it is May, we can conclude this is an adult in breeding (aka alternate) plumage.
The amount of white on the belly indicates it is Short-billed Dowitcher. This is well-illustrated in field guides such as Sibley. Not all Short-billed Dowitchers have so much white and it makes this bird particularly easy to ID.
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