38 



Sandpipers. Breeding-pi imaged Least Sandpipers (April to August) have 

 dark brown streaking over a light brown wash on the breast which is 

 distinctive. The winter and Juvenal plumages of the four species are very 

 similar; field guides should be used to verify the identification of Least 

 and Western Sandpipers and comparison with museum specimens to verify the 

 identification of Rufous-necked and Semi pal ma ted Sandpipers. Semi pal ma ted 

 Sandpipers are rare and Rufous-necked Sandpipers very rare on the west 

 coast. Least and Western Sandpipers in comparison are abundant. 



Semi palma ted Sandpipers occur on the west coast between May and 

 September. Western Sandpipers occur in Alaska between April and 

 September, from British Columbia to Oregon from March through November 

 and from California south year round. The Rufous-necked Sandpiper occurs 

 in Alaska from June to August and has been found only rarely as far south 

 as California between May and August. Least Sandpipers occur in Alaska 

 from April to September, in Washington from April to December, and from 

 Oregon south year round. 



WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (Calidris fuscicollis; choice 41', pg. 49) is 

 slightly larger than a sparrow, has black legs, wings that extend beyond 

 the tail and a straight bill about the same length as the head. It has a 

 white rump. The only other shorebird of similar size with a white rump is 

 the Curlew Sandpiper. These two species can be separated by bill shape 

 (see Plate 24-7,8). White-rumped Sandpipers are very rare on the west coast. 



BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (Calidris bairdii; choice 40, pg. 49) is similar in 

 size and shape to the White-rumped Sandpiper but it does not have a white 

 rump. The bill and legs are black. Adults are dark brown and buff 

 dorsal ly, sandy-gray and dusky-streaked on the breast and white on the 

 belly. Juveniles are more salmon than buffy colored dorsal ly. It occurs 

 in limited numbers along the west coast in fall and rarely in spring. 



PECTORAL SANDPIPER (CaUdris melanotos; choice 21', pg. 46) is 

 variable in size, between that of a sparrow and a robin. The bill is 

 straight and black, and is slightly longer than the length of the head. 

 The legs are yellow-green. The breast is very heavily streaked with dark 

 brown, but the streaking ends abruptly in a straight line where it meets 

 the white belly. It occurs in limited numbers along the west coast in 

 fall and rarely in spring. 



SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER ( Calidris acumLnata; choice 21, pg. 46) is 

 generally similar in size and coloration to the Pectoral Sandpiper. 

 Juveniles, which are more likely than adults to occur on our coast, have 

 breasts that are not streaked centrally but are washed with an orange- 

 brown. The crown has considerable rufous coloration. Juveniles of 

 this species occur rarely on the west coast as far south as California 

 from August to November. 



