Surfbird Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesSurfbird
Breeding adult
Stocky shorebird with short legs and a stout bill. Breeding birds have a speckled belly. Note yellow legs.
© Tom Edell / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 10, 2018Nonbreeding adult
Stocky shorebird with short legs and a stout bill. Nonbreeding birds are gray overall. Note yellow legs.
© Matt Brady / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 09, 2011Nonbreeding adult
Forages along rocky intertidal zones for bivalves, mollusks, barnacles, and marine algae during the nonbreeding season.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 21, 2013Not all videos have sound
Juvenile
In flight, note white tail with a black band and a thin white stripe down the wings.
© Russ Morgan / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, August 09, 2019Nonbreeding adult
Stocky shorebird or rocky coastlines. Note yellow legs and stout bill.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 09, 2017Breeding adult (with Black Turnstone)
Breeding birds have cinnamon spots on the back.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 21, 2009Breeding adult
Most often found foraging on rocky shorelines, but sometimes uses sandy beaches during migration.
© Keith Parker / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 19, 2017Breeding adult
Forages along rocky shorelines.
© Yanira Cifuentes Sarmiento / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, April 25, 2010Similar SpeciesBlack Turnstone
Nonbreeding
Black Turnstones have shorter legs and a thinner bill than Surfbirds. They are also darker overall than Surfbirds and do not have orange at the base of the bill like Surfbirds.
© Andrew Johnson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 18, 2017Similar SpeciesRock Sandpiper
Breeding
Rock Sandpipers have a longer, thinner, slightly drooping bill, and duller legs than Surfbirds.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 20, 2008Similar SpeciesRock Sandpiper
Nonbreeding
Rock Sandpipers have a longer, thinner, slightly drooping bill, and duller legs than Surfbirds.
© Caroline Lambert / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 16, 2015Similar SpeciesWandering Tattler
Breeding adult
Wandering Tattlers have a longer and thinner body with a longer bill than Surfbirds.
© Jacob Drucker / Macaulay LibraryHawaii, April 05, 2016Similar SpeciesWandering Tattler
Nonbreeding adult
Wandering Tattlers have a longer and thinner body with a longer bill than Surfbirds.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 26, 2014Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Sandpipers and Allies(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Scolopacidae)
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