SANDPIPERS 



(234) Tringa canutus Linn. 



(Lat., a sandpiper; for King Canute). 



KNOT; RED-BREASTED 

 SANDPIPER; ROBIN-SNIPE; 

 GRAY-BACK (winter). Bill rather 

 long, straight and stout. Ads. in 

 Slimmer — Plumage as shown; under 

 parts uniform brownish-red, fading 

 to white on the flanks and under tail 

 coverts; back with broad buffy edges 

 to the feathers; rump and upper tail 

 coverts whitish, barred with dusky. 

 In winter — Ashy-gray above; mostly, 

 white below. Young, similar but 

 the back feathers are edged with 

 white, outside a dusky border, giving 

 the bird a characteristic scaly appear- 

 ance. L., 10.50; W., 6.7s; Tar., 1.20. 



Range — Breeds in circumpolar 

 regions. Migrates, chiefly along the 

 Atlantic coast, as far south as Pata- 

 gonia. 



STILT SANDPIPERS, apparently never have been 

 abundant, and judging from the records of old-time observ- 

 ers, seem to be found about as commonly now as in the 

 olden days. They are sometimes seen in bands of four or 

 five, but more often single ones are to be found with other 

 species of small sandpipers. They can easily be identified 

 among others by the noticeably long legs. I have found 

 them a number of times feeding with companies of Least, 

 Semipalmated, White-rumped and Baird's Sandpipers. 

 During migrations they are most common in the Mississippi 

 Valley, which is the direct route from their breeding grounds 

 in Mackenzie to their winter quarters in South America. 



KNOTS are one of the most abundant species of sand- 

 pipers migrating along our eastern coast, in spite of the fact 

 that they are shown no mercy by sportsmen, whose blinds 

 are so closely placed along our shores as to scarcely allow 

 room for a bird to alight without being in range of one of 

 them. Breeding conditions must be unusually good in the 

 extreme Arctic regions where these shore birds nest, for a very 



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