godwit

American  

[god-wit] / ˈgɒd wɪt /

noun

1. any of several large, widely distributed shorebirds of the genus Limosa, as the New World L. haemastica Hudsonian godwit, having a long bill that curves upward slightly.

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godwit British  

/ ˈɡɒdwɪt /

noun

1. any large shore bird of the genus Limosa, of northern and arctic regions, having long legs and a long upturned bill: family Scolopacidae (sandpipers, etc), order Charadriiformes

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Etymology

Origin of godwit

First recorded in 1545–55; of obscure origin

Example Sentences

For example, the bar-tailed godwit, a pigeon-sized shorebird, breeds in Alaska and then migrates to New Zealand.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2022

A rare shorebird called a Hudsonian godwit had been seen in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, and they had hoped to get a better look at some of the less accessible shorelines from the water.

From Slate • Sep. 1, 2022

The bar-tailed godwit set off from south-west Alaska on 16 September and arrived in a bay near Auckland 11 days later, having flown at speeds of up to 55mph.

From The Guardian • Oct. 13, 2020

In tidal mudflats, species such as the bar-tailed godwit - the larger birds in the photo above - refuel on worms and molluscs.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2016

The marbled godwit, or marlin as it is also called, is one of the largest birds of the Scolopacidæ family.

From Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast by Payne, Harry Thom