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Measurements
No known geographic variation in morphology.
Linear
Bill Length
Of 5 downy young collected in n. Alaska 22 Jun–25 Jul, mean bill length (mm) 18.2 ± 2.7 SD (MVZB; NW). In adults, mean bill lengths (mm) of 62.1 and 62.3 (n = 18, 106) for males and 72.4 and 72.0 (n = 17, 92) for females (Rowan 1932, Pitelka 1950). Males smaller by 13.3–14.0 % (Pitelka 1950).
Wing Length
Flattened wing. Mean wing length (mm) of 141, 139, 149 (n = 18, 79, 10) for males and146, 143, 152 (n = 17, 69, 10) for females (Rowan 1932, Pitelka 1950, Cramp and Simmons 1983). Males smaller by 3.4–3.6% (Pitelka 1950).
Tail Length
No data.
Tarsus Length
Of 5 downy young collected in n. Alaska 22 Jun–25 Jul, mean tarsus length (mm) 26.0 ± 1.7 SD (MVZB; NW). In adults, mean tarsus length of 37.3, 38.4, 37.8 (n = 18, 107, 10) for males and 41.1, 41.4, 40.3 (n = 17, 92, 10) for females (Rowan 1932, Pitelka 1950, Cramp and Simmons 1983). Males smaller by 7.0–7.9% (Pitelka 1950).
Mass
In adults, percentage lipids in muscles and carcasses of Long-billed Dowitchers collected in Jan at Sacramento NWR, CA (4.6% and 7.9% respectively), and at Delevan NWR, CA (3.6% and 7.3%); females (95–131 g) significantly heavier than males (88–120 g; Custer and Myers 1990). Mean mass and range of 119.4 g (103–137 g; n = 7) in Feb, s. San Francisco Bay (J. Takekawa and S. Warnock unpubl.). Males in Alaska, 100 g (90–144, n = 28); females 109 (93–119, n = 11; Irving 1960). Birds in Colville River area of Alaska collected on 6 Jun likely beginning to breed: males 101.7 g and 106.7 g, female 121.1 g; another female (126.5 g) collected on 2 Jul likely during postbreeding (Kessel and Cade 1958). Of 3 downy young collected in n. Alaska 22 Jun–25 Jul, mean mass (g) 13.1 ± 1.9 SD (MVZB; NW). Mass of 2 juvenile females collected 1 Aug at Kaolak River, AK, 84.6 g (no fat) and 97.5 g (little fat; Maher 1959).
Takekawa, John Y. and Nils Warnock. 2000. Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/493
