These chunky medium-small shorebirds are quite colorful in oranges and browns during most of their time in Oregon, where they are found mainly along the coast and locally in muddy areas inland. Their feeding motion has been likened to a sewing machine as flocks move slowly through shallow water and wet mud, probing with long straight bills.

They are occasionally seen in marginal areas such as flooded pastures, but less likely than Long-billed to use such upland locations.

They are a common to locally abundant coastal migrant, less common and more local in western interior valleys, and rare bur regular east of the Cascades.

Hear the call of the Short-billed dowitcher

Photo by Steve Dimock