210 
CHARADRIIFORMES 
248. Sander ling, le sanderling. Crocethia alba. L, 8. In spring — upperparts, 
including crown, dark brown, variegated with much light rusty ochre, or white, or both. 
Below, white. Throat, neck, and upper breast overwashed with variable amounts of 
reddish ochre spotted with brown. The details of these colourings are exceedingly variable. 
The back may show enough of the various colours to make it either generally greyish, 
ochraceous, or rusty, and the usually coloured and spotted throat may be nearly immacu- 
late white. The autumn bird is similar without much huffy or any reddish or ochraceous 
tint, it is pure white below and in front, and often predominantly grey to light ashy above. 
Distinctions. From traces to strong washes of rusty on neck and around head in 
the spring, and the general whiteness in autumn. The Sanderling may be told from all 
other sandpipers by having three toes instead of four (Figure 303). 
Figure 302 
Sanderling; scale, §. 
Spring 
Figure 303 
Foot of Sanderling; 
natural size. 
Field Marks. Rufous suffusion about the head in some spring birds, general con- 
trasting black and white appearance on the wing. The line of white along the bases of 
flight feathers is probably the best field mark common to all plumages. The pure white 
breast in autumn is also characteristic. 
Distribution. Breeds on the islands of the Arctic west to Alaska. A common migrant 
on sandy shores throughout Canada except interior of British Columbia where it is rather 
rare. 
FAMILY RECURV1ROSTRIDAE. AVOCETS AND STILTS 
General Description. Among the largest of the shore birds and recognizable by their 
strikingly contrasted colours and great length of leg and bill. The single species that 
occurs in Canada, the avocet, is so well characterized and so easily recognized from the 
specific description that nothing more need be said here. 
The Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexi- 
ccinus may have occurred occasionally in Mani- 
toba, but the records are too uncertain for un- 
questionable acceptance. It is almost as large 
as the Avocet, but even longer in the legs. It is 
pure black and white, the black including all 
the back and extending up the back of the neck 
over the crown. The bill is very long, fine, and 
straight (Figure 304). It should be looked for 
near the alkaline pools along the southern 
borders of the Prairie Provinces. 
Figure 304 
Black-necked Stilt; 
scale, \. 
