Gregarious medium-sized wader with a long, slightly uptilted bill. Note the very long, pink-based bill. Breeding plumage has bright rusty head and breast, dark barring on belly; nonbreeding plumage has rather plain grayish head, breast, and upperparts, unlike streaked breast and back of Bar-tailed Godwit. In flight shows bold white wing stripe, white rump, and black tail. Fairly common but often local; breeds in grassy wetlands, and found year-round in fresh and brackish marshes, and on adjacent tidal flats. Feeds mainly by wading in deep water, probing with its long bill.