Beginning at roughly 16-sec into the video we see a Semipalmated Sandpiper … Western Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpiper Juvenile female Western Sandpiper, Fernhill Wetlands, Forest Grove, Oregon on 18 August 2004 by Greg Gillson. This is one of the most abundant shorebird species in North America, with a population in the millions. Photo by Ken Nanney. ... Western Sandpiper Breeding adult. Often forages by probing into mud and sand at water's edge. This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny shorebirds, especially the semipalmated sandpiper. Western sandpiper definition is - a small sandpiper (Ereunetes mauri) very closely related to the semipalmated sandpiper which it chiefly replaces in western North America but frequently occurring also along the Atlantic coast. They are reddish-brown on the crown. Western or Semipalmated Sandpiper, US Bird Identification Q&A Western or Semipalmated Sandpiper, US - BirdForum BirdForum - The net's largest birding community, dedicated to wild birds The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. In breeding plumage, Semipalmated Sandpipers have duller rusty upperparts, a darker face, and cleaner flanks than Westerns. Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) populations have undergone significant declines at core nonbreeding sites in northeastern South America. Western is by far the dominant peep on the West Coast, and Western along with Least are the only peeps likely to be seen in North America in winter. And their foot is partially webbed, for which they are named. Semipalmated Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Baird’s Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper Wilson’s Phalarope. 86 STUDIES IN AVIAN BIOLOGY (Loftin 1962). Migrates and winters along mudflats, beaches, shores of lakes and ponds, and flooded fields. Adults have dark legs and a short, thin, dark bill, thinner at the tip. Their face also appears darker than the whitish face of Western Sandpipers. The specific pusilla is Latin for "very small".. Sanderlings are larger with a thicker bill than Western Sandpipers. “Semis” use saltmarshes, tidal flats, and managed wetlands during their migration and aggregate in large numbers on the tidal wetlands of northern South America during their nonbreeding period. sanderling - SAND semipalmated sandpiper - SESA. The most abundant shorebird in Washington, the Western Sandpiper is a member of the group known as peeps or stints. Also note darker face and breast on Bairds than Westerns. This is particularly the case in winter plumage, when both species are plain gray. They also have darker faces than Westerns and more smudging on the breast. And also thanks to RC for discussing the difference in moult of Western vs Semipalmated Sandpiper in October which was already spelled out in the great book The Shorebird Guide (O'Brien, Crossley & Karlson 2006) had I cared to read that part! Nonbreeding birds often show a darker shoulder bar that Westerns do not have. Western Sandpipers molt much earlier, with some attaining full basic plumage by August. An abundant small shorebird, the Semipalmated Sandpiper breeds in the Arctic and winters along the coasts of South America. Their long wings extend farther past the end of the tail than they do on Western Sandpipers. 4th toe Partial webbing. Nonbreeding birds tend to be browner than Westerns, which are more gray, but they can be difficult to readily separate in the field. Breeding birds have a rusty cap and rusty mottling on the back. Obsolete English Names: oxeye Best places to see in Tennessee: Typical shorebird hotspots are great places to find Semipalmated Sandpipers, including Cross Creeks NWR , Old Hickory Lake , , and Rankin WMA . Juveniles have crisp scaly markings on the back as a result of their newly grown feathers. They nest on the ground usually under some vegetation. The western sandpiper (Calidris mauri) is a small shorebird. Appears somewhat front-heavy; folded wings are same length as tail. It looked smaller than Dunlin although there was nothing to directly compare it with, it was bull-necked and fairly stocky, stockier than Little Stint with a rather tubular broad and blunt ended bill and webbing between the toes, a feature which only Western and Semipalmated share. In breeding plumage, it has a deep rufous crown and cheek patch, and rufous on the wings. The Western Sandpiper is the only other small sandpiper ("peep") with similarly webbed toes. "Western Sandpiper Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology", An online identification article covering this species and other small calidrids, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_sandpiper&oldid=980631340, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 27 September 2020, at 15:54. The following slides will have the … Smaller than a Sanderling. Foraging occurs on tundra and wet meadows during the breeding season. The Semipalmated Sandpiper’s voice is a single note chit or cheh. In distinguishing these very similar species SAND at water 's edge tundra in eastern and! Finding Tips, Identification Leave a Comment into mud and SAND at water 's edge in! Webbed, and rufous on the breast acquires winter plumage, when both species plain. In AVIAN BIOLOGY ( Loftin 1962 ). [ 2 ] group known as peeps or stints by... Male makes several scrapes ; the female selects one and lays 4 eggs have yellow, not black legs Western... 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