Marbled Godwits

It’s late afternoon, and a beautiful pair of Marbled Godwits have taken the stage. These are shore birds, adapted for life near the water. Do they have tiny feet that hold onto a branch? No, they have big feet that spread out. Why? Correct, they act like snowshoes and keep the bird up on top of the sand. Does this bird have tall, skinny legs or short, fat legs? Yes, the tall skinny legs help the Marbled Godwit walk around easily without getting knocked over by the waves. Do you think its long, skinny beak is good for snapping flies or digging in sand to catch Sand Crabs? I think you’re right. The Marbled Godwit enjoys Sand Crabs and other animals that live in mud and sand. Its brown color helps keep it camouflaged from predators. The Marbled Godwit does not live here year round. It migrates. That means that it will live here for a while and then fly all the way to Montana, North and South Dakota, and Canada to have its babies! Then it will return, back to the coastal waters and estuaries of the Pacific Ocean. What would make you travel thousands of miles?


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