Sandpipers- ORDER: Charadriiformes
- FAMILY: Scolopacidae
Basic Description
White-rumped Sandpipers are graceful, long-winged shorebirds, slightly larger than the more numerous “peep” sandpipers that they often forage with. Their breeding plumage is a sharp brown and white with rusty highlights and dark stippling on the breast. On their high arctic breeding grounds, males give an outlandish song accompanied by an elaborate flight display. In flight, the telltale white rump distinguishes it from all similar species. This small sandpiper makes one of the longest migrations of any North American bird, sometimes flying 2,500 miles without a rest.
More ID InfoFind This Bird
Look for White-rumped Sandpipers during migration. Find a flock of feeding shorebirds and scan through it, looking for a bird slightly larger than a Semipalmated or Western Sandpiper, with long, tapered wings. Listen for the distinctive, squeaky call, often the first hint of the species’ presence. In flight, watch for a sandpiper with a white rump (actually the uppertail coverts); other peeps have a dark divider in the white.
Other Names
- Correlimos Culiblanco (Spanish)
- Bécasseau à croupion blanc (French)