Lesson 1: Shorebird Essentials

Question 1

What are the FOUR families of shorebirds?

According to the scientific nomenclature

Answer 1

1. Plovers
2. Oystercatchers
3. Avocets & stilts
4. Sandpipers & relatives (by far, the largest group)

Illustrations here and throughout this deck offer a very rough approximation of relative size.

Question 2

What are the EIGHT subgroups of shorebirds in North America?

Answer 2

1. Tringas
2. Peeps
3. Snipe-types
4. Phalaropes
5. Plovers
6. Curlews & godwits
7. “Grass pipers” & turnstones
8. Oystercatchers, avocets & stilts

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has informally divided all of the shorebirds of North America into EIGHT subgroups based on shape. This is done purely for the purpose of making identification easier.

Question 3

Why is it important to learn the key characteristics of the 8 shorebird subgroups?

Answer 3

Learning to recognize which subgroup a shorebird belongs to narrows your options down considerably, making your job of identifying much less overwhelming!

Question 4

What useful strategy can you use to identify shorebirds in environments where there are large mixed flocks of them foraging together?

Mixed flock of Marbled Godwit & Willet

Photo by Ingrid Taylar

Answer 4

Focus on a single bird, identify it, and then move on to the next one (and then the next one…).

Shorebirds can be tricky to identify because their plumages tend to look so similar across many different species. But if you move through a flock bird-by-bird (noting each one’s key features and foraging behavior, etc), you will actually start finding shorebird ID fun, not overwhelming!

Question 5

How can having two or more species of shorebirds in a single location be useful for identification?

Answer 5

Side-by-side tell, you can appreciate their relative size and shape.

Least Sandpiper (left) and Pectoral Sandpiper (right) look quite similar until you see them side-by-side!

Photo by Wildreturn

Other shorebirds can serve as useful yardsticks against which to measure relative size, shape, and other physical traits, like the length and shape of the bill or the length and color of the legs.

For example, being able to say if something’s bigger, smaller, or the same size as a Killdeer, Western Sandpiper, or American Oystercatcher, can go as far as clinching an ID. With practice, you will develop an instinct for what is small, medium-sized, and large (and the shades in-between).

Question 6

How can you gauge the approximate size of a shorebird?

Answer 6

Use other shorebirds in the field (or from memory) as a reference

Example: Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs are pretty hard to tell apart until you learn that Lesser Yellowlegs are about the same size as a Killdeer, while Greater Yellowlegs are much bigger.

You could also compare their size to a bird that you do know well, such as a sparrow, robin, or crow!

Question 7

What are the THREE most important clues for shorebird ID?

Answer 7

Shape, behavior, and size

Shape narrows the bird down into one of the eight subgroups: (1) tringas, (2) peeps, (3) phalaropes, (4) snipe-types, (5) plovers, (6) curlews & godwits, (7) “grass pipers” & turnstones, and (8) oystercatchers, avocets & stilts.

Behavior, particularly foraging behavior is distinctive in many shorebird species and can further narrow your search down to a few individual species.

Size is a third clue that separates remarkably similar-looking species from each other: species that may also overlap in range and habitat.

Question 8

Aside from shape, behavior, and size, what are FOUR other clues you can use to identify shorebirds?

Answer 8

1. Color patterns & markings
2. Habitat
3. Range
4. Calls

1. Color patterns & markings like wing stripes, rump color, eye rings, eye-stripes, and chest barring.
2. Habitat like ocean beaches, pond edges, mudflats, and grasslands, etc.
3. Range: Is the shorebird in question within its typical range, taking into account migration? Or is it even the right season for that shorebird to be there?
4. Calls: Useful for a handful of species that have quite distinctive calls.

Question 9

How many clues should I look for to make a confident shorebird ID?

Answer 9

Three or more

Shorebirds tend to have quite similar markings across many different species or are even completely unremarkable and dull in the non-breeding season, making plumage an unreliable tool for identification.

Look for a variety of clues—three or more—especially size, shape, habitat, calls, behavior, and range. If three clues point strongly to a certain species and exclude all others, you should feel confident in your ID!

Question 10

What are the main physical traits of the Tringa-type shorebirds?

Answer 10

• Tall, thin, and lanky sandpipers
• Overall size is medium to large
• Long, straight bills
• Medium-to-long neck with a relatively small head

Greater Yellowlegs

© Glen Bodie

Examples include: Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, and Willet.

Question 11

What are the main physical traits of the peeps?

AKA stints

Answer 11

• Small-to-medium sized sandpipers with short legs
• Overall stocky appearance
• Short necks, largish heads
• Medium-length bills

Sanderling (© David Hoar)

Examples include: Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Sanderling, and Baird’s Sandpiper.

Question 12

What are the main physical traits of the “snipe-type” shorebirds?

Answer 12

• Short, chunky shorebirds
• Very long bill, which they use to probe the mud for food
• Relatively short neck
• Moderately short legs

Wilson's Snipe

© Brian Avent

Examples include: Short- and Long-billed Dowitchers, Wilson’s Snipe, and American Woodcock.

Question 13

What are the main physical traits of the phalaropes?

Answer 13

• Similar in shape to the Tringa-type shorebirds
• Razor-thin bills (exception: Red Phalarope)
• Distinctive behavior: they swim like ducks

Red-necked Phalarope

Photo by Gregory Smith

Examples include Wilson’s Phalarope, Red Phalarope, and Red-necked Phalarope.

Unlike any other shorebird, phalaropes are often seen foraging far out from the shore, paddling around the middle of lakes in summer, like ducks!

Question 14

What are the main physical traits of the plovers?

Answer 14

They have:
* Large heads, short necks and fat bodies
* Short stout bills
* Medium-to-short legs for a shorebird
* Plumage often shows black patterning

Semipalmated Plover

Photo by Gregory Smith

Examples include: Killdeer, Black-bellied Plover, American Golden-plover, Piping Plover, and Snowy Plover.

Note: many shorebirds—particularly the large plovers, like American Golden-Plover—vary tremendously in plumage between the breeding and non-breeding seasons, which is why recognizing their relative shape and size is crucial for ID.

Question 15

What are the main physical traits of the curlews & godwits?

Answer 15

• The largest of the shorebirds
• Big and bizarre with really large/long bills
• Godwits’ bills curve up and curlews’ bills curve down

Marbled Godwit

© Brian Avent

Examples include: Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, and Hudsonian Godwit.

Question 16

What FIVE species make up the subgroup of “grass pipers” & Turnstones?

Answer 16

“Grass pipers”
* Uplands Sandpiper
* Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Turnstones
* Ruddy Turnstone
* Black Turnstone

Surfbird

The “grass pipers” are habitat specialists that like short, grassy habitats more than the usual shorebird hotspots (mudflats and sandy beaches).

Turnstones are like plovers—round and stocky with short-to-medium bills—but they are found almost exclusively in marine habitats where the ocean waves crash upon the rocks/shore.

We have also included the Surfbird in this category because it is similarly sized and shaped to the turnstones, and is commonly found in the same habitat; however, it actually belongs to the genus Calidris—the same as the peeps!

Question 17

What FOUR species make up the subgroup of Oystercatchers, Avocets & Stilts?

Answer 17

1. Black Oystercatcher
2. American Oystercatcher
3. American Avocet
4. Black-necked Stilt

These large, easily-identifiable, bold black-and-white shorebirds do not really belong in any other category, so we slap them together in this mixed bag.

Question 18

Can you name the anatomical features on this Spotted Sandpiper?

Answer 18

Image credit: Becky Matsubara

Question 19

Can you name the anatomical features on this Marbled Godwit?

Answer 19

Image credit: Wikipedia Commons

Question 20

Can you name the anatomical features on this Dunlin?

Answer 20

Image credit: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Question 21

Why is shape such a helpful ID tool for shorebirds?

Answer 21

The traditional clues provided by plumage color and markings do not help much with shorebird ID because plumages:
1. Vary very little between many species
2. Vary naturally from individual to individual
3. Change wildly from season to season
4. Are, at times, completely featureless

When it comes to shorebird ID, shape tells us so much more than plumage. It allows us to narrow a shorebird down to one of the eight subgroups and possibly even down to a handful or birds or even an individual species.

Question 22

What FIVE aspects of a shorebird’s shape should you look out for?

Answer 22

1. Bill length and bill shape
2. Neck length
3. Body shape (skinny or plump)
4. Leg length (and color)
5. Silhouette in flight

The lattermost aspect takes into account bill length and shape, and leg length (viewed by how much past the tail the legs project). In some cases, flight silhouette can be very distinctive, as is the case with:

• Upland Sandpiper, which has a very long tail (for a shorebird)
• Black-necked Stilt, whose long legs project almost comically past its tail
• Long-billed Curlew, whose incredibly long and curved bill is impossible to miss
• Hudsonian Godwit, which has very long, thin, pointed wings

Question 23

What are the FOUR shorebird bill shapes to look out for?

Answer 23

1. Curved upwards
2. Straight
3. Curved downwards
4. Drooped

Examples:
1. Curved upwards: American Avocet, Marbled Godwit, and, very subtly, Greater Yellowlegs.
2. Straight: Most sandpipers, Wilson’s Snipe, and Short- and Long-billed Dowitchers
3. Curved downwards: Long-billed Curlew and Whimbrel
4. Drooped: (the tip of the bill droops downwards) Stilt Sandpiper and Dunlin

Question 24

Which shorebird subgroup(s) have very short bills?

Answer 24

Plovers

Piping Plover

Question 25

Which shorebird subgroup(s) have **very long bills?**

Answer 25

Snipe-types, curlews and godwits

Question 26

What shorebird subgroup(s) have **short necks?**

Answer 26

Peeps, plovers, and snipe-types

Question 27

What shorebird subgroup(s) typically have **long necks**?

Answer 27

Tringas, curlews, and godwits

Question 28

When you see a shorebird *in flight*, what **THREE traits related to its shape** should you look for to get valuable ID clues?

Answer 28

* **Bill length**: is it short, medium, or long? * **Bill shape**: is it curved upwards, downwards, or straight? * **Leg length**: do they project past the tail? How far? Or not at all? ## Footnote Photo by [Ron Knight](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Whimbrel_(Numenius_phaeopus)-Jon_Knight.jpg) This photo illustrates the **unique flying profile** of shorebirds like the Whimbrel, whose long, curved bill is quite hard to miss!

Question 29

What **NON-SHAPE related clues** should you look for in flying shorebirds? | Aside from leg length and bill length and shape

Answer 29

* **Overall size**: how big are they? * **Wing stripes**: bold or absent? * **Rump color**: white, black, rufous, or patterned? * **Leg color**: red, yellow, or dark? * **Flight style**: any behavioral clues? * **Call**: many shorebirds become vociferous during flight! ## Footnote Once you have collected your visual clues, you can then consider factors like **range and habitat**. Is it the right time of year for the species you are considering? The right habitat? And so on.

Question 30

In what **THREE ways** can a shorebird's **behavior** provide valuable clues?

Answer 30

* Flight style * Bobs and twitches * Foraging method ## Footnote For example: * When flushed, **Wilson's Snipe** typically take off in a zig-zag flight style. * **Spotted Sandpiper** constantly bob their tails, while **Solitary Sandpiper** constantly bob their heads (like they have the hiccups). * When foraging, **American Avocet** slice their bills through the water in a scything motion, while **dowitchers** constantly probe the mud in an up-down motion that resembles a sewing machine.

Question 31

Describe a typical shorebird's **flight style**

Answer 31

Very fast, direct flight with rapid wingbeats

Question 32

Why is it important to pay attention to shorebirds' **foraging behavior**?

Answer 32

You can **easily identify a shorebird's subgroup** and, in some cases, narrow the possibilities down to **a few species** based on foraging behavior *alone*. ## Footnote Foraging behavior is probably the **most important behavioral marker** of shorebirds. It can even help to identify a species or, at the bare minimum, the subgroup it belongs to without taking into account any other clues!

Question 33

Describe the **typical foraging behavior** of the **plover** subgroup

Answer 33

Plovers run, peck, and stand still (repeat) ## Footnote These shorebirds scuttle along the beach, pick at the ground, stop (stand still), look for the next morsel, and then scuttle after it; repeating that over and over again.

Question 34

Describe the **typical foraging behavior** of the **peeps** subgroup

Answer 34

Peeps keep their **heads down** and **constantly probe the mud** as they walk ## Footnote Photo by [Wolfgang Sauber](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bolsa_Chica_-_Vögel_4.jpg) The exceptions to this rule are useful ID hacks, for example: 1. White-rumped Sandpipers stick their tails up in the air as they forage. 2. Sanderling (beach birds) constantly scuttle up and down the beach, avoiding the waves as they crash on the shore.

Question 35

Describe the **typical foraging behavior** of a **Yellowlegs** | Both Greater and Lesser

Answer 35

Stroll n' pick ## Footnote © Brian Avent Yellowlegs typically move constantly but slowly, keeping their heads up, picking at the occasional morsel at, or just under the surface of the water. Greater Yellowlegs will also "scythe" the water, slicing their bills from side-to-side under the water, a technique that is unique to this shorebird and one other, the American Avocet.

Question 36

Describe the **typical foraging behavior** of the **Phalarope** subgroup

Answer 36

Totally unique for a shorebird: they swim like ducks! ## Footnote © Brian Avent Phalaropes are often found paddling like ducks over the deepest parts of ponds and lakes, and spend winter out on the open ocean. Additionally, when they forage, they **spin in tight circles**, whipping up edible morsels from lower down in the water column, bringing them to the surface for the bird to eat.

Question 37

Where do many North American shorebird species go **in the summer?**

Answer 37

They **migrate to the Arctic** to breed

Question 38

Where do many North American shorebirds go **in the winter?**

Answer 38

They **migrate southwards** to the very southern United States and southwards through Central and South America.

Question 39

**What time of year** is the U.S. and Canada most likely to see **migrating shorebirds?**

Answer 39

**Late March through May** and again from **July to mid-October**.

Question 40

# True or false **All species** of North American shorebirds breed in the Arctic in summer and migrate south for the winter.

Answer 40

False ## Footnote While *many* North American shorebirds follow this annual migration, there are lots of exceptions. Some do not migrate at all, while others breed inland and winter along the shore within the confines of the North American continent.

Question 41

How can the **timing of migrations** of specific shorebirds be a useful ID tool?

Answer 41

It tells you **which shorebirds are likely around** at that time of year ## Footnote For instance, Short-billed Dowitcher end their fall migration towards the end of September / early October, while the Long-billed Dowitcher end theirs later. So if you come across a shorebird in November or December that you can tell is a Dowitcher, you can be pretty sure that it is a Long-billed Dowitcher.

Question 42

What are the **SEVEN shorebirds** with **western-restricted ranges** in North America?

Answer 42

1. Pacific Golden-Plover 2. Mountain Plover 3. Black Oystercatcher 4. Black Turnstone 5. Wandering Tattler 6. Rock Sandpiper 7. Surfbird ## Footnote These birds are rarely seen east of the Mississippi River

Question 43

What are the **THREE shorebirds** with **eastern-restricted ranges** in North America?

Answer 43

1. Wilson’s Plover 2. American Oystercatcher 3. Purple Sandpiper ## Footnote These birds are rarely found away from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Question 44

What **TWO shorebird groups** can those that **do not** have a western or eastern-restricted range be divided into?

Answer 44

Those that are found: 1. **All across North America**, e.g. Greater Yellowlegs 2. In the **Eastern and Central U.S. and Canada**, e.g. Baird's Sandpiper ## Footnote There are 11 species in the latter group. Some of them occasionally make it west of the Rocky Mountains but, in general, they are much more common to the east of this barrier.

Question 45

Which is the only shorebird species that *does not migrate?*

Answer 45

American Woodcock ## Footnote Photo by [Fyn Kynd](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_Woodcock,_Searsmont,_Maine.jpg) These birds stick to their preferred habitat of **forests and scrubby areas** (not wetlands) in the eastern half of the United States and Canada.

Question 46

What **TWO habitats** are amenable to most shorebird species?

Answer 46

**Mudflats** (marine and riverine) and **sandy beaches**

Question 47

Name THREE shorebirds that *specialize* in **grassland and field habitats**

Answer 47

1. Upland Sandpiper 2. Buff-breasted Sandpiper 3. Mountain Plover ## Footnote American Plover, Pacific Golden-Plover, and Killdeer can also be found in these habitats but do not *specialize* in grasslands and fields. I.e. they are found in wetland habitats, too.

Question 48

What THREE Atlantic Coast shorebirds specialize in **rocky intertidal zones**, where the waves constantly smash upon the rocks?

Answer 48

1. Ruddy Turnstone 2. Purple Sandpiper 3. American Oystercatcher

Question 49

What FIVE Pacific Coast shorebirds specialize in **rocky intertidal zones**, where the waves constantly smash upon the rocks?

Answer 49

1. Black Turnstone 2. Wandering Tattler 3. Rock Sandpiper 4. Black Oystercatcher 5. Surfbird

Question 50

Once you have learned the main habitats certain shorebirds like to forage in, what secondary—though no less important—**habitat clue** should you look for?

Answer 50

Exactly ***where* in the habitat** a bird is foraging | or spending most of its time ## Footnote This is the same concept you apply when considering **where in the forest** a bird is spending most of its time. For example Hermit Thrush prefer the forest floor; Wilson's Warbler like the lower parts of the understory; and American Redstart are most often seen flitting about the canopy. Knowing this about these birds will help you *find them* and provide valuable clues to then identify them.

Question 51

Let's say that you are birding around a largish body of water, like a lake or estuary. Name **FIVE typical habitat zones** where different shorebirds might be found. | Give some examples of shorebird species found in each ## Footnote Photo by [James Allan](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mud_flats_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2497316.jpg)

Answer 51

## Footnote 1. In the **grassy areas** away from the water (Killdeer, Baird’s Sandpiper, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper) 2. On the **muddy flats** around the water’s edge (peeps and plovers) 3. In the **shallow water** (Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, and Dowitchers) 4. In the **deeper water** (large, long-billed, long-legged shorebirds like Greater Yellowlegs, Hudsonian Godwit, and Avocets). 5. Out on the **open water** (Phalaropes)

Question 52

What **FOUR color markings** on the face can provide help with shorebird ID?

Answer 52

1. Eye rings 2. Eye stripes 3. Eyebrow stripes (supercilium) 3. Crown stripes ## Footnote **Crown stripes** are stripes of darker plumage over the top (or crown) of the head. **Eyebrow stripes** are stripes of darker or paler plumage located right above the eye. **Eye stripes** are stripes of darker or paler plumage that run *through* the eye line. **Eye rings** are patches of, usually, white skin or paler plumage around the eye. They can be bold and unbroken (Solitary Sandpiper) or thin and broken (Spotted Sandpiper).

Question 53

What **four DARK markings** exhibited by some shorebirds are useful clues for ID? ## Footnote Remember, plumage isn't often a reliable clue in shorebird identification but there are some markings and colors that will definitely direct you towards the correct ID, especially when considered in tandem with behavior, shape, habitat, and range.

Answer 53

1. **Black auxiliaries** or armpits (e.g. Black-bellied Plover) 2. **Chest bands** (e.g. Killdeer) 3. **Black rumps** (e.g. American Golden-Plover in breeding plumage) 4. **Black belly patches** (e.g. Dunlin in breeding plumage) ## Footnote B = Breeding NB = Non-breeding Another dark marking that's helpful for ID—and unique to Sanderling—is a **black leading edge to the wing**.

Question 54

What **five LIGHT markings** on a shorebird’s *body* are useful clues for ID? ## Footnote Remember, plumage isn’t often a reliable clue in shorebird identification but there are some markings and colors that will definitely direct you towards the correct ID, especially when considered in tandem with behavior, shape, habitat, and range.

Answer 54

1. **Snipe stripes** on the back (e.g. Wilson’s Snipe) 2. **White wedge** up the back (e.g. Dowitchers) 3. **Wing stripes** (e.g. Dunlin) 4. **White feather tips** giving the back a "scaley" appearance (e.g. Baird’s Sandpiper) 5. **White rump** (e.g. breeding Black-bellied Plover) ## Footnote B = Breeding

Question 55

For which shorebird subgroup does **rump color** play a particularly useful role in identification?

Answer 55

Plovers ## Footnote * Black-bellied Plover have **white rumps** * American and Pacific Golden-Plover have **dark rumps** * Killdeer have **rust-colored rumps** (distinctive) The reason it is so helpful to know this is for identifying plovers in flight. Black-bellied Plover can be very difficult to tell apart from the Golden-plovers but with its bright white rump (and not dark rump) visible in flight, you can make a quick and confident ID!

Question 56

What are the only North American shorebirds that display a **white wedge during flight**? ## Footnote A v-shaped patch of white that extends from the rump up between the shoulder blades.

Answer 56

1. Long-billed Dowitchers 2. Short-billed Dowitchers 3. Black-necked Stilt ## Footnote © Brian Avent This photo of Long-billed Dowitcher beautifully illustrates how the white wedge becomes visible in flight.

Question 57

Which shorebirds have a **black belly?** | In breeding plumage

Answer 57

The **three large, unbanded plovers** and, of the peeps, only the **Dunlin** and **Rock Sandpiper** ## Footnote B = Breeding

Question 58

When are markings like spots, stripes, or streaks **most often useful** for shorebird ID?

Answer 58

When the bird is in **breeding plumage** ## Footnote Although many shorebirds have markings, they are not always useful for ID because many different species can look so incredibly similar, especially in non-breeding plumage. That said, there are a few times when markings—or even a lack of markings—can help distinguish one shorebird from another.