SHOREBIRDS of North America
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.
Sandpipers and Allies
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.
WHO AM I ?
Genus Calidris
Calidrids have sensitive bills that they use to probe along the shoreline to search for food. They often move their feet very rapidly as they run along the water's edge. They fly long distances and
many of the species are found on a number of continents.
Dunlin Calidris alpina Found:
North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1 - 7,
8) Dick Daniels - North Carolina
1) Juvenile in November 2) Adult in November


1) April 2, 3) May


Photos Nov. - Jan.


Knot, Red Calidris canutus Found:
The Americas, Europe, Asia,
Africa, Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by:
1) Dick Daniels on Sanibel Island, Florida
2, 3,
4, 5, 6,
8)
Dick - North Carolina
7)
Cláudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
1) Juvenile 2) Nonbreeding







Surfbird Aphriza virgata Found:
The Americas
The Surfbird is genetically close to the Red Knot and probably will be moved to genus Calidris.
Photographed by:
1, 2) Len Blumin - Bodega Bay, California 3)
Alan -Near
Victoria, British Columbia
1) First summer 2, 3) Nonbreeding 4) Breeding


Sanderling Calidris alba Found:
The Americas, Europe, Africa, Australia
1) Dick Daniels - Homer, Alaska 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8) Dick - North Carolina
Sept (juvenile), Jan, Feb, Mar




Apr, May, Sept, Nov



Sandpiper, Baird's Calidris bairdii Found:
The Americas
Photographed by: 1)
Dominic Sherony 2)
Maggie Smith -
Old Creek, Cayucos, California
2) Juvenile

Sandpiper, Curlew Calidris ferruginea Found:
North America, Europe,
Asia, Africa, Australasia
Photographed by: 1, 3) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 2)
Lip Kee Yap - Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore
3) - curlew is bigger than dunlin


Sandpiper, Least Calidris minutilla Found:
The Americas
Photographed by: 1)
Len Blumin - Sacramento Landing, California,
2)
Alan D Wilson - Grant Narrows Regional Park, Pitt-Addington Marsh Wildlife Management Area, Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
3,
5, 6, 8)
Dick Daniels in:North Carolina 7) Dick - New Jersey 4)
New Jersy Birds






Sandpiper, Pectoral Calidris melanotos Found:
The
Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by: 1)
Alan D Wilson - Cattle Point, Uplands, Near Victoria, British Columbia
2) Dick Daniels - New Jersey 3)
Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 4)
Dominic
Sherony



Sandpiper, Purple Calidris maritima Found:
North America, Europe
Andreas Trepte 2)
Mjobling

Sandpiper, Rock Calidris ptilocnemis Found: northern Pacific coast of
North
America
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Alaska 2)
Alan D Wilson - Southwest Point, St. Paul Island, Alaska
2) Breeding

Sandpiper, Semipalmated Calidris pusilla Found:
The Americas
Photographed by: 1 - 3) Dick Daniels - North Carolina


Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Calidris acuminata Found:
North America (rare),
Asia, Australia, New Zealand
Photographed by: 1)
Alnus 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Australia


Sandpiper, Stilt Calidris himantopus Found:
The Americas
Photographed by: 1)
Len Blumin - Indian Point Park, Texas 2)
Dan Pancamo 3)
Dominic
Sherony


Sandpiper, Western Calidris mauri Found:
The Americas
The western sandpiper is easy to confuse with the semipalmated. The western tends to have a longer and more slender bill.
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - North Carolina
4)
Alan D Wilson - Cattle Point, Uplands, Near Victoria, British Columbia
1) Semipalmated or Western 2, 3) note the partially webbed foot (semipalmated also partially webbed)



Sandpiper, White-rumped Calidris fuscicollis Found:
The
Americas
Photographed by:
1, 2, 3)
Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil


Stint, Little Calidris minuta Found:
North America (rarely) Europe,
Asia, Africa, Australia
Andreas Trepte 2)
Lip Kee Yap 3) Dick Daniels - Tanzania


Genus Philomachus - 1 species
Ruff Philomachus pugnax Found:
North America (rare), Europe, Africa
Photographed by: 1)
Len Blumin - Marin County, California 2)
Marek
Szczepanek

Genus Renaria
Turnstone, Black Renaria melanocephala Found: west coast of
North America
Photographed by: 1)
Elaine R Wilson - Children's Pool, San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park La Jolla, California
2)
Alan D Wilson - Children's Pool, San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park (Ecological Reserve), La Jolla, California
3)
Len Blumin - Costa Rica


Turnstone, Ruddy Arenaria interpres North America, Europe, Asia,
and visits many other coastlines
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3,
5, 7) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 4)
Dick on
Sanibel Island, Florida 6) Dick - Negril, Jamaica




