Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 8.7 in
22 cm - Wingspan
- 16.9 in
43 cm - Weight
- 1.4–3.7 oz
41–105 g
Other Names
- Bécasseau a poitrine cendrée (French)
- Playero pectoral, Correlimos pectoral (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The breeding male Pectoral Sandpiper has an inflatable throat sac, which expands and contracts rhythmically during display flights. The accompanying vocalization consists of a series of hollow hoots, and is one of the most unusual sounds heard in summer on the arctic tundra.
Habitat
Grassland
Breeds in wet coastal tundra. Migrates and winters in wet meadows, mudflats, flooded fields, and shores of ponds and pools.
Food
Insects
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Condition at Hatching
- Active and covered with down.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Probing
Conservation
Least Concern
Formerly abundant in 19th century, but were much reduced by market hunting. Little information on current population trends, but appears to be relatively stable.
Credits
- Holmes, R. T., and F. A. Pitelka. 1998. Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos). In The Birds of North America, No. 348 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.