INDEX - Europe
INDEX - World 
BIRDS of THE WORLD

SHOREBIRDS of Europe

Most Shorebirds walk along shores probing for food with their thin sensitive bills. Bill length varies considerably so differing species can work the same shore and obtain different food supplies. Shorebirds include sandpipers, godwits, stilts, oystercatchers, plovers, and many more. Shorebirds belong to the Charadriiformes order which also includes the Gulls and Allies.
    Note: the term Shorebirds is used in the Americas; elsewhere "waders" is used. We will reserve "waders" for herons and allies.



Long Billed Shorebirds

Order Charadriiformes    Suborder Scolopaci   Family Scolopacidae

Suborder Scolopaci contains one family, Scolopacidae. This family contrains the shorter-blled sandpipers and allies and also longer-billed species such as the godwits and curlews.



Genus Actitis

Sandpiper, Common Actitis hypoleucos   Found: North America (rarely), Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia
Photographed by: 1) Juan Emilio   2) Steve Garvie  3) Dick Daniels - Scotland   4) Dick - Scotland


Sandpiper, Spotted Actitis macularia   Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 2) Alan D Wilson - North Arm, Iona Beach Regional Park, Richmond, British Columbia
   3) Winnu  4) Alan - La Jolla Shores Beach (Near Scripp's Pier), La Jolla, California
   5) Dick Daniels - North Carolina  6) Dick - Jamaica  7) Dick - Puerto Rico  8) Dick - Florida
1, 2, 3) Breeding


Genus Bartramia - 1 species

Sandpiper, Upland  Bartramia longicauda Found: The Americas 
Photographed by: 1) Johnath - Ontario, Canada   2) Dario Niz - Uruguay




Genus Gallinago

Snipe, Common Gallinago gallinago   Found: North America (Alaska), South America (Northwast), Europe, Asia, Africa
Similar to Wilson's Snipe. Wilson's and the Common Snipe were previously considered to be one species. Common Snipes usually have 7 pairs of tail feathers while Wilson Snipes have 8 pairs. The easist way to tell them apart is by location: Common are predominately Old World and Wilson's are predominately New World.
Photographed by: 1) Marek Szczepanek  2) sjahanmi - dubai   3) Davis Kwan - Hong Kong


Snipe, Wilson's  Gallinago delicata  Found: The Americas, Europe (vagrant)
Similar to Common Snipe. Wilson's and the Common Snipe were previously considered to be one species. Common Snipes usually have 7 pairs of tail feathers while Wilson Snipes have 8 pairs. The easist way to tell them apart is by location: Common are predominately Old World and Wilson's are predominately New World.
Photographed by: 1) Sean Breazeal - Central Utah 
    2, 3, 4)  Alan D Wilson - Richmond, British Columbia; Highway 205, Near Burns, Oregon
    5) Linda Westerinen - Colusa Reserve, California  6) Dick Daniels - Ash, North Carolina  7) Dick - Ash




Genus Limnodromus

Dowitcher, Long-billed Limnodromus scolopaceus   Found: North America, Asia. Rare: South America, Europe, Africa
Similar to: Short-billed Dowitcher. Very difficult to distinguish by appearance; bill length may help but it is not conclusive. Short-billed are more likely found at the sea shore and Long-billed are more likely to be found inland.
Photographed by: 1, 3, 5) Dick Daniels - North Carolina   2) Dick - Sanibel Island, Florida
    4) Alan D. Wilson - Birding Center, Port Aransas,  



Dowitcher, Short-billed  Limnodromus griseus  Found: The Americas, Europe (rare)
Similar to: Long-billed Dowitcher. Very difficult to distinguish by appearance; bill length may help but it is not conclusive. Short-billed are more likely found at the sea shore and Long-billed are more likely to be found inland.
Photographed by: 1, 3, 4, 7) Dick Daniels - Sunset Beach, North Carolina    2, 5, 6) Dick - Sunset Beach
1 - 4) Non breeding  6) Breeding




Genus Limosa

Godwit, Bar-tailed  Limosa lapponica   Found: North America (Alaska), Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Tim Bowman, US Fish and Wildlife Service 3) Dick Daniels - Australia  4, 5) Dick - Australia
4) Juvenile   5) Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlin



Godwit, Black-tailed  Limosa limosa   Found: North America (rarely on Atlantic coast), Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1) Frank Vassen - Poland 2, 3) Hans Hillewaert - Uitkerkse Polders, Belgium 



Genus Numenius

Curlew aka Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata   Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) AngMoKio - the Stuttgart Zoo  2) MPF - Cresswell Pond, Northumberland, UK 
    3) Darren Bellerby - Hong Kong Wetland Park, Hong Kong


Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand.
Photographed by: 1, 5. 6. 8) Dick Daniels - Half Moon Bay, California   3) Dick - Half Moon Bay   4) Dick - the Galapagos Islands
   7) Elaine R. Wilson - La Jolla Shores Beach (Near Scripp's Pier), La Jolla, California




Genus Phalaropus

Phalarope, Red Phalaropus fulicarius Found: North America, Europe, Asia, and tropical seas
Photographed by: 1) Billy Liar - West Virginia   2) Lee Karney 
    3) Maggie Smith  4) Mke Baird at Morro Bay, California 5) Andrei Taranchenko - Alaska
1, 2) Nonbreeding  4, 5) Breeding



Phalarope, Red-necked  Phalaropus lobatus   Found: Arctic regions of North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Seward, Alaska  3) Ainus    4, 7) Mike Baird - California
    5, 6) Alan D Wilson - Wright's Pond, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon   8) USFWS
1, 2) Juvenile  3, 4) Nonbreeding  5 - 8) Breeding



Phalarope, Wilson's Phalaropus tricolor   Found: The Americas, Europe
Photographed by:   1) J N Stuart   2) Amy McAndrews - Mexico   3) CV Vick - California
    4) Jerry Oldenettel - New Mexico  5) Dominic Sherony   6) Alan D. Wilson - Oregon 
1) Juvenile 2) Juvenile eclipse  4) Male breeding  5, 6) Female breeding




Genus Tringa

Greenshank, Common Tringa nebularia   Found: North America (rare), Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by:  1) Alastair Rae    2) Dick Daniels - Australia   3) JJ Harrison - Tasmania, Australia  4) J Dietrich


Redshank, Common  Tringa totanus  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Andreas Trepte 2)  4028mdk09  3) Frank  Vassen on the Canary Island of Lanzarote 


Redshank, Spotted   Tringa erythropus  Found: North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: Lip Kee Yap


Sandpiper, Green  Tringa ochropus  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Similar to the Solitary Sandpiper
Photographed by: 1, 2) J M Garg - India


Sandpiper, Marsh Tringa stagnatilis   Found: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels near Johannesburg, South Africa  2) Dick - Tanzania 


Sandpiper, Wood Tringa glareola   Found: North America (rarely), Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1) Alnus - Taoyuan County, Taiwan  2) JJ Harrison - Thailand  3) Dick Daniels - Tanzania  


Tattler, Grey-tailed  Tringa brevipes  Found: North America (rare), Europe, Asia, Australia
Photographed by: 1) JJ Harrison - Australia  2) honan4108  3) Alpsdake - Japan  4) Dominic Sherony


Tattler, Wandering Tringa incana   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels- Kauai, Hawaii  2, 3) Jason Crotty - California  4) Winnu
1, 2) Nonbreeding 3, 4) Breeding  





All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details.    Dick Daniels, webmaster.