Male and female Short-billed Dowitchers are very similar in appearance, but females generally have slightly longer bills than males. In breeding plumage, they both have reddish underparts and mottled brown upperparts, with a distinctive white blaze up the back and a pale trailing edge on the wings. In winter, their plumage becomes more dull, with brownish-gray coloration.

Breeding Plumage:
• General: Both sexes exhibit a rusty-reddish color on their underparts and a mottled brown pattern on their upperparts.
• Distinctive Features: They share a prominent white blaze up their back and a pale trailing edge on their wings.
• Bill: Females typically have a slightly longer bill than males, though this can be subtle.
• Belly: Long-billed Dowitchers may show more chestnut-red on their bellies, while Short-billed Dowitchers may have more white.

Non-Breeding Plumage:
• General: The colors become more muted, with a brownish-gray overall appearance.
• Pattern: The mottled pattern of the breeding plumage remains, but the colors are less vibrant.

Other Notable Features:
• Size: Short-billed Dowitchers are medium-sized shorebirds, around 11-12.6 inches in length and weighing 3.4-8 ounces.
• Bill: Despite the name, their bill is long and straight, though shorter than the Long-billed Dowitcher's.
• Legs: They have long, pale legs.
• Feeding: They feed with a characteristic "sewing machine" motion, probing the mud or sand for invertebrates.