What to expect…data.prbo.org/apps/pfss/uploads/Shorebird ID.pdf · Field Guides Shorebirds of...

Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey

What to expect…

• 12 species of shorebirds detected

BBPL; 2%

SEPL; 0%

BNST; 0%

WISN; 1%SHOR; 0%

BBPL

SEPL

KILL

BNST

KILL; 19%AMAV; 0%

GRYE; 7%

LBCU; 3%LESA; 15%

DUNL; 30%

XDOW; 23%

BNST

AMAV

GRYE

LBCU

LESA

DUNL

XDOW

WISN

SHOR


Shorebird Identification


Field Guides

Shorebirds of North America:The Photographic Guide

by Dennis Paulson

The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds

of Western North Americaby David Allen Sibley

The Shorebird Guideby Michael O’Brien,

Richard Crossley,

Kevin Karlson

by David Allen Sibley


Shorebird Topography

Bill

Tail

SuperciliumTail

Legs

Supercilium

Breast

Belly

Tail

© Davis Allen Sibley


Shorebird Silhouettes

curlews dowitchersploversavocetscurlews dowitchersploversavocets

killdeeryellowlegs dunlin peeps


Stilts and Avocets0.1%

American Avocet

(Recurvirostra americana)

Black-necked Stilt

(Himantopus mexicanus)

© Gypsy Flores


Plovers

Killdeer Semipalmated PloverKilldeer

(Charadrius vociferus)

Semipalmated Plover

(Charadrius semipalmatus)

Black-bellied Plover

(Pluvialis squatarola)


Killdeer

Size: Medium; L: 11”

Bill: Short, thick dark

Legs: Flesh colored

Appearance:

19%

Appearance:

− Upperparts brown

− Underparts white

− Two black breast bands

− Red eye ring

− Voice

© Ingrid Taylor

Stuart McKay


Semipalmated Plover

Size: Small; L: 8”

Bill: Short, thin with hints bi-color

Legs: orange-ish legs

Appearance:

− Upperparts brownish-grey

0.1%

Brad Bergstrom

− Upperparts brownish-grey

− Underparts white

− Single dark neckband

© Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART


Killdeer vs. Semipalmated Plover

Killdeer

*larger

*two black breast bands

*elongated

Semipalmated Plover

*smaller

*single dark neckband

*plumper

*shorter bill


Black-bellied Plover

Size: Medium, plump, L: 12”

Bill: Short, thick, dark

Legs: Black

Appearance:

− Gray upperparts with pale edging

www.inwater.org

2.4%

− Gray upperparts with pale edging

− White underparts

− Black axillaries visible in flight

− White wing stripe

− White rump

Voice: slow “peeooEEE”

© Stephen J. Davies


Large Shorebirds

Long-billed Curlew

(Numenius americanus)

Whimbrel

(Numenius phaeopus)


Long-billed Curlew

Size: Largest North American shorebird; L: 23”

Bill: Very long and decurved

Legs: Gray

Appearance:

3%

Appearance:

− Mottled brown upperparts

− Cinnamon underparts

− Long neck, small head

− Cinnamon underwing

Tom Grey

©Arthur Morris/BirdsAsArt


Whimbrel

Size: Large, L: 18”

Bill: Long and decurved

Legs: Dark and short

Appearance:

− Brown upperparts with light and dark

Whimbrel © T.Douglas Rodda

0%

− Brown upperparts with light and dark

spotting

− Head striped brown and white

− Brown streaked neck and breast

− White belly


Long-billed Curlew vs. Whimbrel

Long-billed Curlew

*larger

*longer bill – 3 head lengths

*lighter legs

Whimbrel

*smaller

*shorter bill -2 head legnths

*darker legs

*boldly striped head


Medium Shorebirds

Dowitchers (Limnodromus spp.)Lesser Yellowlegs

(Tringa flavipes)

http://www.westpascoaudubon.com

© Phil Jeffery Wilson’s Phalarope

(Phalaropus tricolor)

©Jack Binch

© Rajiv LatherWilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata)

Greater Yellowlegs

(Tringa melanoleuca)


Greater Yellowlegs

Size: Medium, L: 14”

Bill: Slightly upturned, long bill

Legs: Bright yellow

Appearance:

7%

Underparts white with gray-brown streaks

Upperparts dark brown with pale flecks

Voice: “tew, tew, tew”


Lesser Yellowlegs

Size: Medium, L: 10.5”

Bill: Straight, medium bill

Legs: Bright yellow

Appearance: Appearance:

Underparts white with gray-brown streak

Upperparts dark brown with pale flecks

“Dainty”

Voice: “too-too”


Greater vs. Lesser Yellowlegs

http://www.westpascoaudubon.com

Greater Yellowlegs

*larger

*longer, upturned bill

* “tew, tew, tew”

Lesser Yellowlegs

*smaller

*shorter, straighter bill

* “too, too”


Wilson’s Phalarope

Size: Medium-small, L: 9”

Bill: Long, slender and dark

Legs: Yellowish

Appearance:

− Gray upperparts

0%

− Gray upperparts


− White rump, pale gray tail

− Wings dark, unstriped

Often feeds by spinning in deep water

© Phil Jeffery


Dowitchers


Bill: Long, straight

Legs: Dull, yellowish

Appearance:

− Upperparts gray

− Breast pale gray with faint spotting; belly ©Jack Binch

23%

− Breast pale gray with faint spotting; belly

white

− White wedge on back in flight

− Tail barred black and white

Feeds with sewing machine motion

©Jack Binch

© 2010 WildDelaware


Wilson’s Snipe


Bill: Long, slender and dark

Legs: Yellowish

Appearance:

− Dark upperparts with bold stripes

on back

1%

on back

− Dark rump, orange tail

− White belly

Very camouflage: often seen or heard

flying away

© Rajiv Lather


Wilson’s Snipe vs. Dowitchers

© Mark A. Chappel© Terry Sohl

Wilson’s Snipe

*bold stripes on back

*prefers vegetated areas

Dowitcher spp.

*dark upperparts with no

striping

*feeds with sewing machine

motion

© Mark A. Chappel© Terry Sohl


Small Sandpipers

Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)


Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia)


Western Sandpiper

Size: Small, L: 7”

Bill: Short, thin, and dark

Thinner at tip than at base

Slightly drooping

Legs: Dark

0%

www.southwestbirders.com

Legs: Dark

Appearance:

− Grayish upperparts


− Faint, partial gray breast band

− Indistinct white supercilium, gray crown and

cheeks

− Rufous scapulars in juveniles


Least Sandpiper

Size: World’s smallest shorebird, L: 6”

Bill: Short, thin, and dark; slightly decurved

Legs: Yellowish legs

Apperance:

15%

− Brownish-gray upperparts


− Gray-brown breast band

− Indistinct white supercilium with darker crown

and eyeline

www.giffbeaton.com


Western Sandpiper vs. Least Sandpiper

© Joseph Kennedy

• The two common small shorebirds called "peeps" in most of the West.

• Western Sandpiper has black legs, longer bill, droops slightly at tip. In winter, gray or

gray-brown; perhaps the palest "peep.“

• Least Sandpiper has yellowish legs (unless stained by mud), has a shorter bill and is

browner.

Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Which are these?

© Joseph Kennedy


Dunlin

Size: Small, L: 9”

Bill: Medium, thin, dark, drooping

Legs: Black legs

Appearance:

− Gray upperparts

30%

− Gray upperparts

− Pale indistinct supercilium

− Faintly spotted gray breast

− White belly

− Black patch on rump extending onto tail

© Kjetil Schjølberg


Dunlin vs. “peeps”

• Dunlin: Larger and darker gray than peeps with a more obvious wing stripe. Drooping bill

longer than peeps.

• Western Sandpiper: Smaller overall with lighter gray upperparts. Drooping bill is shorter

• Least Sandpiper: Smaller overall with browner upperparts. Yellowish legs and a shorter bill.

Dunlin Western and Least

© Larry Thompson, 2007-2010


Spotted Sandpiper

Size: Small, 8”

Bill: Medium and straight

Legs: Short and light colored

Appearance:

0%


− Plain brown upperparts

− White underparts (non-breeding)

− Brown on sides of breast

− White supercilium

* Usually solitary

* Constantly bobs tail


Raptors

Turkey Vulture

Ferruginous

HawkPeregrine Falcon

© Birding-Peru.com

© Ryan DiGaudio

Red-tailed Hawk

Golden Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

American Kestrel


Resources

• All About Birds

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/

• What Bird?• What Bird?

http://www.whatbird.com/

• eBird – How to Count Birds

http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/bird-counting-101

What to expect…data.prbo.org/apps/pfss/uploads/Shorebird ID.pdf · Field Guides Shorebirds of...

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