Hi Michael and Tweets

If they were adults and still retained some breeding plumage the Long-billed
will more typically have rufous running all down thru the belly, while
Short-tailed will more typically have more white on the belly. If they
retain the breast markings, the Long-billed markings will be more chevrons
and the Short-billed will typically be more spots.

If they were juveniles, could you see the tertials? On Short-billed they
have intricate buffy to rufuous interior markings as well as edges (more or
less holds for the scapulars also), while Long-billeds will have more solid
dark feathers with buffy to rufous edges.

We had nice examples of each yesterday at Crockett Lake.

Brian H. Bell
Woodinville WA
mailto bellasoc at isomedia dot com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Hobbs" <birdmarymoor at verizon.net>
To: "Tweeters (E-mail)" <TWEETERS at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 9:45 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] Dowitcher ID


> OK - I know I'm supposed to be a Master Birder, but I'm having trouble
> with dowitchers.
>
> At this time of year, how do you tell Short-billed from Long-billed
> Dowitcher? There was one at Montlake Fill on Friday, and I thought it
> might be Short-billed, but I'm pretty much just guessing.
>
> Help.
>
> == Michael Hobbs
> == Kirkland, WA
> == http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
> == birdmarymoor at verizon.net
>
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