A wader that probes mud with its long bill. Its plumage changes between breeding and winter, and it moves from northern North American wetlands to coastal wintering areas.
Breeding plumage is strongly reddish-brown, while nonbreeding plumage is mainly grey.
The hendersoni subspecies of the Short-billed Dowitcher breeds near Churchill in northern Manitoba, Canada. A study of 35 nests found from 2021 to 2023 linked nest sites with wet sedge meadows and high vegetation productivity.
A habitat model mapped 3,357 hectares of suitable breeding habitat. Satellite data showed a net loss of 59 hectares of wetland from 2015 to 2020, while the model projected that climate-related shrub growth could further reduce suitable area.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Near Churchill, 59 hectares of wetland were lost between 2015 and 2020. Nest sites were associated with wet sedge meadows, and the model projected that climate-related shrub expansion could reduce suitable habitat.