Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper, adult; Jamaica Bay, NY;

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Pectoral Sandpiper, juvenile

Pectoral Sandpiper, juvenile; Queens, NY; August

Pectoral Sandpiper, juvenile?; bathing;

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

A medium-sized, chunky shorebird, the Pectoral Sandpiper is found most commonly on mudflats with short grass or weedy vegetation and seems more at home in the grass than in the water.

Description

Medium-sized sandpiper. Moderately long neck. Moderately long, slightly drooping bill. Moderately long, yellowish or greenish legs. Dark, densely streaked chest showing sharp border with white belly. Dark center of rump and tail. Back reddish brown with two thin white lines extending it length.

• Size: 22 cm (9 in)
• Wingspan: 43 cm (17 in)
• Weight: 41-105 g (1.45-3.71 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike, male slightly larger.

Sound

Call a harsh "churk." Courtship call a hollow hooting, interspersed with growling and squawking notes.

Conservation Status

Formerly abundant in 19th century, but were much reduced by market hunting. Little information on current population trends, but appears to be relatively stable.

Other Names

Bécasseau a poitrine cendrée (French)
Playero pectoral, Correlimos pectoral (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The breeding male Pectoral Sandpiper has an inflatable throat sac, which expands and contracts rhythmically during display flights. The accompanying vocalization consists of a series of hollow hoots, and is one of the most unusual sounds heard in summer on the arctic tundra.

Sources used to construct this page:

Holmes, R. T., and F. A. Pitelka. 1998. Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos). In The Birds of North America, No. 348 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.