THE LEAST SANDPIPER. 



HIS lively, social little Sand- 

 j piper is common throughout 



oj America, nesting in the Arctic 



regions. It is migratory, 

 arriving the last of March to the first 

 of May, a few occasionally remaining 

 till November. It has been found 

 breeding as far south as Sable Island, 

 Nova Scotia, but its usual breeding 

 grounds are north from Labrador and 

 Alaska to Greenland, wintering from 

 California and the Gulf states south- 

 ward. It is more restless and active 

 than the larger Sandpipers, but in 

 habits it differs little, if any, from 

 them. It runs nimbly about, often 

 with the large waders, feeding around 

 and beneath them, apparently heedless 

 of danger. While watching the birds, 

 they will often pass close to the feet, 

 but at the least motion the whole 

 flock will spring into the air " like a 

 flash, with a startled Pe^'P^ pcep^ and 

 in a compact form swiftly sweep about 

 in an uncertain manner, canting from 

 side to side, showing rapidly the 

 white beneath and the dark above, a 

 wavy, pretty sight, the white at times 

 fairly glistening in the sunlight." 

 When migrating or going any distance 

 their flight is steady and direct. 

 Audubon, who observed the breeding 

 habits of the birds in Labrador, says 

 that at all periods, excepting those at 

 which they have nests containing 

 eggs, or young so small and feeble as 

 to require all the care of their parents, 

 the flight of this species resembles that 

 of the Common Snipe (see Birds, 

 Vol. IV., page 7); but when started 

 from the nest, or from any place 

 in the immediate vicinity, it rises 

 and moves off low over the ground, 

 with deeply incurved wings, and with 

 a whirling motion thereof, which, if 

 as rapid as those of a Partridge, would 

 appear quite similar, but on such 



occasions the Lesser Sandpiper moves 

 slowly, and instead of uttering the 

 note of independence, as it were, 

 which it emits at other times, while 

 freely and fearlessly traveling, it gives 

 out sounds weakened by grief or 

 anxiety, for the purpose of inducing 

 the observers to follow it. If on the 

 ground, it acts in a similar manner, 

 moves off slowly, and limping as if 

 crippled, and this at times quite as 

 much as if one had come upon it 

 while on its nest, or surprised it with 

 its young. 



The Sandpiper's nest is placed on 

 the ground in a slight depression, 

 scantily lined with leaves and grasses. 

 The eggs are three or four, of ground 

 color cream buff to light drab, spotted 

 and blotched irregularly with varying 

 shades of brown, thickest about the 

 larger end. 



The Least Sandpiper is always found 

 associated with the Semi-palmated 

 Sandpiper, which in the later summer 

 throng our shores and form staple 

 sport to the youthful and city tyros. 

 Flocks of birds are often composed of 

 both species. When this is the case, 

 the latter, even if largely in the 

 minority, take the lead, as they are of 

 somewhat larger size, stronger in 

 flight, and have a louder note. When 

 not in company with other species, 

 none of our shore birds are more 

 confiding and unsuspecting than these, 

 says Davie, large flocks continuing 

 their search for food almost under the 

 feet of the observer. 



The black and white outlines which 

 are often seen of this bird make it 

 possible, perhaps, to recognize it, but 

 the perfect likeness which we present 

 will enable the observer to distinguish 

 it at a glance from all others of the 

 family, of which there are about a 

 dozen well-known species. 



70 



