Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, juvenile; Jamaica Bay, Queens, NY; September

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A delicate dove-headed shorebird, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper is found primarily in migration in areas of short grass. It migrates primarily through the middle of the continent from its arctic breeding grounds to southern South America.

Description

Medium-sized shorebird. Buffy all over. Short, pointed, black bill. Rounded head. Long yellow legs. Underside of wings white. Small black spots on crown and back.

• Size: 18-20 cm (7-8 in)
• Weight: 46-78 g (1.62-2.75 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike, male larger.

Sound

Call a series of soft tick notes, and a rolling "preeet."

Conservation Status

Population declined from millions to near extinction by 1920s. Numbers appeared to increase, but may be declining again.

Other Names

Bécasseau roussâtre (French)
Correlimos canelo, Chorlito canela (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is unique among North American shorebirds in having a lek mating system. Males defend relatively small territories that provide no resources for females and are simply display sites to which females can be attracted. Females select a mate and then leave to nest and raise their chicks elsewhere.

Sources used to construct this page:

Lanctot, R. B. and C. D. Laredo. 1994. Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis). In The Birds of North America, No. 91 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists? Union.