Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Calidris subruficollis
Track and Watch 2
This species is one of the 'track and watch' species in the Yukon as it is rare, threatened or both. If you see this species please take a photo (if you can), note where you are and either upload it to iNaturalist or send it straight to the Conservation Data Centre (CDC) by downloading a Field Observation Form for animals or by using your own method or reporting, and sending it to us: yukoncdc@gov.yk.ca
Description 3
This small, attractive bird has a long, straight bill and greenish-yellow legs (7). The sexes are alike in colouration; both have a pale brown body elegantly spotted with black. The crown has fine streaks of black which extend down the hind neck and over the back to the tail, giving the appearance of overlapping black scales on the upperparts. The sides of the head and body are paler brown with less conspicuous black markings, fading to cream on the throat and breast. Juveniles are slightly paler overall (2).
Biology 4
The buff-breasted sandpiper is the only North American shorebird that courts using a lek mating system. Males gather on display grounds, where they attempt to attract visiting females by lifting a wing to expose the bright white plumage of the underwing. If more than one female is present, the males spread both wings, angle their bills in the air, shake their bodies up and down and utter several short calls. Females then approach the male they wish to mate with; successful males may mate with more than one female. The female builds a nest on the ground and lines it with grass. Three to four eggs are laid and incubated by the female for three weeks. Remarkably, the chicks leave the nest less than 12 hours after hatching in order to feed themselves (6). Buff-breasted sandpipers feed on earthworms, aquatic insects and larvae, and seeds (7). They forage in small flocks of up to 15 birds, walking in a crouched position and lifting the legs high with each step. They move quickly, frequently changing direction and bobbing the head like a pigeon. During the non-breeding season, they are fairly unafraid and can be approached (2). They migrate bi-annually from various breeding grounds to favoured wintering grounds in autumn, and back to the breeding grounds in spring (8).
Sources and Credits
- (c) Greg Lasley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Greg Lasley
- (c) Yukon Conservation Data Centre, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
- (c) Wildscreen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/2604857
- Adapted by Yukon Conservation Data Centre from a work by (c) Wildscreen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/5670069
More Info
Range Map
iNaturalist.ca Map
| Animal | Bird |
|---|---|
| Color | brown, grey, white |
| Bird | waders |
