568 
THE GREEN SANDPIPER. 
the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains it is called Prairie Pigeon, where it is very 
abundant during migration. 
Dr. Cones says : “ Their ordinary note is a long-drawn, soft, and melancholy whistle, of a 
peculiarly clear, resonant quality ; but besides this, they have a note peculiar, I believe, to 
this period of their lives. This is a very loud, prolonged cry, sounding more like the whistling 
of the wind than, a bird’ s voice. The wild sound, which is strangely mournful, is generally 
uttered when the bird, just alighted, holds its wings for an instant perpendicularly, before 
adjusting them over the back. It is frequently heard in the night. There is another note 
that this Tattler has, chiefly when disturbed breeding ; this is a harsh scream, quickly and 
often repeated, -much like that given by other waders under the same circumstances. It is 
esteemed as a delicacy. There is no difference in the plumage at different seasons, and the 
sexes are alike in size and coloration. Its length of body is about twelve inches, and 
extent of wing twenty-three inches. This bird was named after Bartram by Wilson. It 
runs with great rapidity, spreading the tail and dropping the wings. When it alights it 
stands very erect, and has a few sharp, whistling notes as it mounts to fly. Its flesh is 
regarded as superior in point of delicacy, tenderness, and flavor to any other of its tribe. 
The sexes are nearly alike. 
The Buff-breasted Plover ( Tryngites rufescens ) inhabits the whole of North America. 
It is migratory in the United States, but is not often seen on the Eastern coast. It breeds in 
the fur countries, in the interior, and extends its habitat to South America. Its habits are 
similar to Bartram’ s Plover. A few of these birds are observed every season on Long Island. 
Nuttall says: “This elegant species, some seasons, is not uncommon in the market of 
Boston, being met with near the capes of Massachusetts Bay.” 
Wilson does not mention it. Its length is eight inches, and extent of wing about fourteen. 
Spotted Sandpiper ( Tringoides macularius). Native to North America, and breeds 
nearly throughout its extent of country, wintering in the Southern States and beyond. It is 
also found in South America, and is a straggler in Europe. Although it reaches the high 
latitudes, it breeds equally well in every part of America, and is one of the best known and 
most abundant of its tribe. It nests in a field or orchard, generally near water, visiting equally 
the interior and sea-coast. 
Wilson says that this species is as remarkable for perpetually wagging the tail as others for 
nodding the head ; even the young just out of the shell run about, constantly wagging the tail. 
On the approach of an intruder in the breeding-season, the parents exhibit great distress, 
limping and otherwise counterfeiting lameness, and fluttering along the ground. Its flight is 
usually low, skimming along the surface of the water, its long wings making a considerable 
angle downward from the body, while it utters a rapid cry of weet-weet-weet as it flutters 
along, seldom steering in a direct line up or down the river, but making a long, circuitous 
sweep. It rarely associates with other Plovers. 
The length of the Spotted Sandpiper is seven and a half inches, with an extent of wing 
of thirteen inches. The sexes are much alike. 
The two birds, the Green Sandpiper and the Avocet, belong to the species of the 
Totaninse. 
The Green Sandpiper is, like the whole of its tribe, a frequenter of wet and marshy 
lands, and seems not to be so fond of the sea-shore as many allied species. Salt-water marshes 
are, however, favorite spots with these birds, and whenever the brackish water spreads from 
the sea-coast over the adjoining country, there the Green Sandpiper may generally be found. 
It is a quick and active bird, running about with much agility, and flirting its short tail up and 
down as it moves along. It is rather noisy, its cry being a shrill whistle remarkably loud in 
proportion to the size of the bird, and very constantly repeated. WRen flushed it begins to 
scream, and flies rapidly away at a low elevation, keeping as much as possible over the 
water. 
