Asian Dowitcher

1. Breeding plumage features chestnut-red tones; non-breeding plumage is gray-brown with white underparts.

2. Straight, dark bill contrasts with the upturned or bicoloured bills of similar species like godwits.

3. Vigorous "sewing-machine" feeding motion distinguishes it from other waders.

Asian Dowitchers primarily feed on polychaete worms but also consume mollusks, crustaceans, and other invertebrates by probing deeply into mudflats. Their characteristic feeding technique involves rapid vertical bill movements akin to a "sewing-machine" action. These birds breed in grassy wetlands across Siberia, Mongolia, and northeastern China before migrating along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to wintering grounds in Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

Asian Dowitchers are most commonly found in northwestern Australia, particularly between Port Hedland and Broome, from September to April. They inhabit tidal mudflats, estuaries, coastal lagoons, and saltworks, often feeding at the water’s edge during low tide. Observers can spot them in small groups or mixed flocks with godwits, especially during dawn and dusk when they are most active.