marbled godwit -beak stretching

[Lorant Voros]

I find this flexible beak stretching interesting. Is there anyone who can tell us more about this behavior?

1DX
700mm
ISO1000
f:8
1/320
Handheld

[John Robinson]

Hi Lorant
I,ve seen quite a few waders do this over the years. The flexible end is supposed to be to do with locating and getting hold of worms etc with the beak underground. This one is probably just stretching like we do.
Nice pic anyway- shows it well.
John

[keith mitchell]

Hi Lorant ,pretty sure that the flexible bit on the upper part of the bill is used for the locating and catching of worms and other food when the birds are probing in mud or soft earth,noticed it a lot with Snipe.Very much like the one legged pose on your Godwit and the odd lifted feather.
Keith.

[Karl Egressy]

Nice pose, excellent POV, the upturned top mandible is priceless. Great work, Lorant.

[Marina Scarr]

Fun image showing these birds' amazing beaks and their flexibility. They do all their foraging underneath the sand/ground, so we don't normally see this behavior.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Lorant, lovely low angle, and just love the one legged pose. Very well timed to have captured the beak as you have.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Lovely pose and behavioural stance, colours are beautiful very nice image indeed.