Spotted Sandpiper

Spotted Sandpiper, breeding plumage, June, Mono County CA

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Spotted Sandpiper, non-breeding plumage

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

The most widespread breeding sandpiper in North America, the Spotted Sandpiper breeds along the edges of nearly any water source throughout the northern half of the continent. It is at home around urban ponds as well as tundra pools.

Description

• Medium-sized shorebird.
• Legs moderately long.
• Neck moderately long.
• Bill medium-sized.
• Back brown.
• Underparts white with distinct round spots.
• Constantly bobs its tail and rear end up and down as it walks.

• Size: 18-20 cm (7-8 in)
• Wingspan: 37-40 cm (15-16 in)
• Weight: 34-50 g (1.2-1.77 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes alike in plumage, but females are larger and have larger spots that extend farther down the lower belly.

Sound

Call a high pitched whistled "weet," uttered singly or in pairs.

Conservation Status

Common and widespread.

Other Names

Chevalier grivelé (French)
Playero coleador (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The female Spotted Sandpiper is the one who establishes and defends the territory. She arrives at the breeding grounds earlier than the male. In other species of migratory birds, where the male establishes the territory, he arrives earlier.

• The male takes the primary role in parental care, incubating the eggs and taking care of the young. One female may lay eggs for up to four different males at a time.

• The female may store sperm for up to one month. The eggs she lays for one male may be fathered by a different male in a previous mating.

• The function of the teetering motion typical of this species has not been determined. Chicks teeter nearly as soon as they hatch from the egg. The teetering gets faster when the bird is nervous, but stops when the bird is alarmed, aggressive, or courting.

Sources used to construct this page:

Oring, L. W., E. M. Gray, and J. M. Reed. 1997. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia). In The Birds of North America, No. 289 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornthologists' Union, Washington, D.C.