80 
BIENNAL REPORT 
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. A common migrant, traveling usually in 
company with the Least; but it is a little later in the spring and leaves a little 
earlier in the fall than the first and last of that species. It is here through¬ 
out the summer in greater numbers than any of the other migrating Waders. A 
small flock was seen at Hermann, Grant County, June 7, 1879 (Roberts and Ben¬ 
ner) ; a flock of nine at Lanesboro, Fillmore County, June 12, and one, June 16, 
1888 (Hvoslef) ; common in Lincoln County in mid-July, 1897 (Benner) ; and 
‘‘fairly abundant” at Mud Lake, Marshall County, July 23, 1900, but absent June 
10-24, 1901 (Dart). Breeds on Arctic coasts and winters from southern United 
States to Patagonia. 
There are six species of the smaller sandpipers that are especially confusing 
to the beginner in the field and the following brief analysis of the most conspicu¬ 
ous features of these is offered in the hope that it may help to distinguish them. 
It is best not to make unusual records in regard to these birds without very close 
study and, indeed, it will often be necessary to take specimens in order to be sure 
of their identity. 
Stilt Sandpiper. Length, 8.25 inches; legs very long for size of bird; spring 
adults, white below heavily barred with dark ashy; fall adults and young, dark 
barring below wanting, breast buffy with faint streaks; much white at base of 
tail above. 
Pectoral Sandpiper. Large; length, 9 inches; black at base of tail above; 
spring adults, throat and belly white, breast heavily streaked with black and buff; 
fall adults and young, buffy on breast with streaks indistinct; young in August, 
somewhat smaller than adults. 
IVhite-rumped Sandpiper. Length, 7.50 inches; white at base of tail above, 
but less than in Stilt Sandpiper. 
Baird’s Sandpiper. Length, 7.40 inches; dark colored at base of tail above; 
generally lighter colored throughout than the other species, but confusing in field. 
Least Sandpiper. Smallest; length, 6 inches. 
Semipalmated Sandpiper. Length, 6.30 inches; a little larger than the Least 
and somewhat lighter colored, especially in the fall, when it lacks the dark streaks 
on breast; toes partially webbed, which, of course, can be seen only when the bird 
is in the hand. The Least and Semipalmated are very difficult to tell apart in 
the field. 
SANDERLING. This bird of the sea coasts is a rare straggler in Minnesota. 
There are positive records of only ten birds thus far: Minneapolis, September 22, 
1875, two seen, one shot, the latter in Survey Collection (Tiffany) ; Minneapolis, 
September 30 1878 (Williams) ; Windom, Cottonwood County, specimen in collec¬ 
tion Minnesota Agricultural College (Shaw) ; Big Stone Lake, September 8, 1893, 
specimen in Survey Collection (de la Barre) ; Leech Lake, June 10, 1902, and May 
24, 1903 (Currier) ; Lake of the Woods, June 24, 1916, two seen together and 
one shot, the latter in Survey Collection (Roberts) ; and one shot at Lake Minne¬ 
tonka, September 26, 1914, in collection Minnesota Academy of Sciences (Martin 
Bovey). The Sanderling breeds in the far north, and Dr. Hatch’s account of its 
frequency here and possible nesting in the state must be an error. 
The Sanderling is unique among our sandpipers in having only three toes. 
