Hudsonian Godwit

The Hudsonian godwit is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. It is an extreme long-distance migrant, breeding at remote sites in Subarctic North America and flying nonstop in the fall to wintering sites in southern South America. Due to its remote breeding and wintering grounds and rapid, direct migration, it was a poorly-known species and was considered very rare until the mid-20th century, when major staging sites were discovered around James Bay and breeding sites were found around Churchill, Manitoba. Since then, the Hudsonian godwit has become the target of conservation attention due to its fragmented and localized distribution and small population, as well as an important scientific system for migration biology research.