How does one tell a Short-billed Dowitcher from a Long-billed
Dowitcher. I know that bill length is not an acceptable criteria because
the differences are so slight and there is acutally overlap. Is it solely
by call or is there some plumage differences. Is there a good reference on
the subject such as an article in Birding or something like that.
In southeastern Idaho, I just automatically assumed they were all
Long-bills but occassionly Dr. Trost would find a few Short-bills mixed in.
Is it safe to assume that dowitchers in northern Idaho and eastern
Washington are Long-bills?

Thanks
Deb
Deborah K. Beutler
Department of Zoology
Washington State University
Pullman, WA

dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu