Baird's Sandpiper
Calidris bairdii
Long-winged, long-distance migrant similar to White-rumped Sandpiper but with warmer buffy-tan plumage. Elongated body gives a horizontal impression when foraging; unique flattened oval shape when seen head-on. Black bill and brown rump. Breeding adults rather pale with large black spots on back. Crisp juveniles show neat scaly pattern on wings and back and have a warm buffy face and neck. Often with flocks of other small shorebirds, but prefers drier habitats, such as the grassy edge of a mudflat, seaweed-covered upper portion of a beach, or sod field. Breeds in the Arctic tundra; winters in South America.
Identification
Adults have black legs and a short, straight, thin dark bill. They are dark brown on top and mainly white underneath with a black patch on the rump. The head and breast are light brown with dark streaks. In winter plumage, this species is paler brownish gray above. This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny shorebirds; these are known collectively as "peeps" or "stints".<p>One of the best identification features is the long wings, which extend beyond the tail when the bird is on the ground. Only the white-rumped sandpiper also shows this, and that bird can be distinguished by its namesake feature.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Calidris bairdii
- Authority
- (Coues, 1861)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Genus
- Calidris
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- NA, PAL : high Arctic (locally to subarctic) dry tundra: Wrangel I. (n of ne Siberia and e Chukotskiy Pen. (far ne Siberia)), n, c Alaska, n Canada including Arctic islands from Banks to Ellesmere and Baffin is. and nw Greenland
- Non-breeding range
- w, s SA : inland including montane and coastal from s Peru through Chile and c, s Argentina
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Baird's sandpipers breed in the northern tundra from eastern Siberia to western Greenland. They nest on the ground, usually in dry locations with low vegetation.<p>They are a long-distance migrant, wintering in South America. This species is a rare vagrant to western Europe.<p>Baird's sandpiper might have hybridized with the buff-breasted sandpiper.<p>These birds forage by moving about mudflats, picking up food by sight. They mainly eat insects, also some small crustaceans.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Western Spindalis
Spindalis zena
Uncommon in thickets, forest edge, and gardens, where found mainly at fruiting trees and bushes. Usually in pairs or small flocks, and often quite inconspicuous. Handsome male is unmistakable, with bold head pattern, golden-yellow and dark reddish body plumage, and bold white wing pattern. Female is notably drab, grayish olive overall with a small white mark on the wing, and a ghosting of the male wing pattern.
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
Small, stocky owl with large head and no neck. Pointed ear tufts are often raised. Varies in color from gray to bright rufous (reddish-brown). Intricate pattern is perfect for camouflage against tree bark. Yellow eyes. Active at night when they prey on small birds and mammals. More often heard than seen; listen for its descending whinny and longer trill. Roosts and nests in cavities, including nest boxes. Found in a variety of habitats with trees, particularly near water.
Himalayan Cuckoo
Cuculus saturatus
Visually indistinguishable from Oriental Cuckoo. Adult male is gray above with a black-and-white-barred belly and a dark gray tail; females usually look similar, but some (known as hepatic morph birds) have cinnamon-brown upperparts with black barring throughout. Intermediate in size between Common and Lesser Cuckoos; distinguished from both species by buffy (not white) under-tail feathers and from Lesser Cuckoos by yellow iris. Song is a series of five notes, with the leading note being sharper and more distinct than the four that follow; compare with Oriental Cuckoo’s series of mellow paired notes. Breeds in a wide range of different lowland and hill forests; also more open habitats outside of breeding season.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.