136 



WANDERING TATTLER (Heteroscelus ineanwn; choice 18, pg. 45) is robin- 

 sized, straight-billed, yellow-legged and ashy-colored dorsally. Winter 

 plumage (about August to March) is white ventral ly; breeding plumage 

 (about March to August) ventrally is white, streaked with ashy on the 

 throat and barred ashy on the belly. It occurs from Alaska to Oregon 

 between April and September and may be found from California south at 

 any time of year. 



RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres; choice 23', pg. 46) and BLACK 

 TURNSTONE (Arenaria melanooephala; choice 23, pg. 46) are stocky, robin- 

 sized birds with stout, slightly upturned bills that taper to a point 

 (Plate 21-7,8). Leg color varies from orange to black. 



The Ruddy Turnstone has a harlequin facial pattern, which is subdued 

 in winter and Juvenal plumage, a light and dark chest pattern, and a 

 white throat. Breeding plumaged birds have rusty backs. In contrast, 

 the Black Turnstone has a uniformly dark brown to blackish head, throat 

 and chest, and no rusty dorsal feathering. 



Ruddy Turnstones occur from Alaska to Oregon from May to October and 

 from California south year round. Black Turnstones occur in northwestern 

 Alaska from May to September and from southeastern Alaska south year round. 



WILSON'S PHALAROPE (steganopus tricolor; choice 20, pg. 45) is robin- 

 sized and is the largest of the three phalaropes. It is yellow-legged. 

 Its toes are not as distinctively lobed as in the other phalaropes. 

 Breeding females are patterned gray, chestnut, black and white dorsally. 

 These colors are subdued in breeding males. In other plumages both sexes 

 are gray or brown dorsally and white ventrally. They occur locally on the 

 coast from Washington south between April and November but are much less 

 likely to be encountered on the outer coast than the other two phalaropes. 



NORTHERN PHALAROPE (Lobipes lobatus\ choice 34, pg. 43) and RED 

 PHALAROPE (Phalaropus fuliearius; choice 34', pg. 48). Carcasses of both 

 these species are common at times on beaches. Both species have lobed 

 toes and straight bills. Red Phalaropes have yellowish and Northerns have 

 black legs. In winter plumage both species are gray above and white below 

 but in breeding plumage Northern Phalaropes are strikingly patterned with 

 black, brown, chestnut-buff and white, while Red Phalaropes are more 

 uniformly colored deep chestnut ventrally and blackish-brown dorsally. 

 Breeding plumage in males is much more subdued than in females. The bill 

 of the Red Phalarope often shows yellow basal ly, that of the Northern 

 Phalarope is entirely black. The Northern Phalarope 's bill is more 

 needle-like than the Red's (see Plate 21-2,3). 



Northern Phalaropes occur in Alaska from April to September, in 

 Washington to October, and in California to November. Red Phalaropes occur 

 in Alaska from May through October and in Washington through November. 

 From Oregon south they may be found between March and December. 



COMMON SNIPE (capella gailinago; choice 14, pg. 45 is between the 

 size of a sparrow and a robin. Its bill is straight and very long (Plate 

 22-8). Its tail is mostly orange. In all plumages the snipe is various 

 shades of brown and buff dorsally, has blackish crown stripes, and a white 

 belly. It occurs in Alaska mainly between April and October and from 

 coastal British Columbia south mainly between September and May. Because 

 of its preference for freshwater marshes, snipes are likely to be very 

 rare on beaches. 



