A long-billed, long-legged wading bird. Most usually seen in its grey-brown winter plumage, birds in spring may show their full rich chestnut breeding plumage. In flight it shows a white patch stretching from the rump up the back, narrowing to a point.

Has a smaller and slightly upturned bill than the similar Black-tailed Godwit

Largest numbers occur on large estuaries - the Wash, Thames, Ribble, Dee, Humber, Solway and Forth estuaries, and Lough Foyle for example.

Highest numbers are seen here between November and February, with numbers starting to build in July and August and falling off in March and April. Small numbers of non-breeding birds can be seen throughout the summer.

Feeds on worms, snails and insects.

It breeds in the Arctic of Scandinavia and Siberia and hundreds of thousands of them pass through the UK, on their way further south, or stop off here for the winter.

An occasional winter visitor to Leicestershire and Rutland.