Habitat
The marbled godwit breeds on grassy plains, wet meadows, and
prairie potholes, usually near
rivers or streams. During
migration it is found on coastal beaches and along
lake shores. In the winter, it is found in
estuaries, salt marshes, tidal creeks, mudflats, and ocean beaches.
Diet
The marbled godwit forages for food by probing in shallow water and soft mud for aquatic
insects and mollusks. It also catches grasshoppers and other insects in grassy areas. It may also eat snails, small
crustaceans, insect larvae, worms, and leeches.
Life Cycle
The female marbled godwit lays 4 eggs in a depression lined with grass. The female incubates the eggs. The chicks hatch in 20-22 days. Both the male and female care for the young.
Behavior
Marbled godwits fly in large, noisy groups over the Great Plains in the spring. Males chase each other and perform elaborate figure-eights in the air.
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