Pl. XCVII
The Birds · Plate XCVII
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Scolopacidae · Taxon 72458
| Length | 18–20 cm (7.1–7.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 37–40 cm (14.6–15.8 in) |
| Weight | 34–50 g (1.2–1.8 oz) |
Field marks
- Small, forward-leaning shorebird with a rounded breast and body tapering to a longish tail
- Straight bill slightly shorter than the head; orange with a dark tip in breeding plumage and paler outside breeding season
- Dark eye accented by a pale eyebrow and narrow dark eye line
- Brown to gray-brown upperparts; folded wings are long and a thin white wing stripe shows in flight
- Breeding adults have bold dark spots across bright white underparts; nonbreeding birds are largely unspotted below
- Slender yellowish to flesh-colored legs
HabitatEdges of fresh or salt water, especially rocky or pebbly shores, streambanks, rivers, ponds, lakes, marshes, beaches, mudflats, and estuaries; nesting areas combine shoreline, semiopen ground, and nearby dense vegetation.
BehaviorUsually solitary; walks quickly along the water’s edge with a nearly constant tail-bobbing teeter, darts or probes for small prey, and flies low with rapid, shallow wingbeats alternating with brief glides.
Palette
warm browngray-brownbright whitecharcoal blackorange-yellow