Spotted sandpiper
| Spotted sandpiper | |
|---|---|
| |
| Breeding plumage | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Charadriiformes |
| Family: | Scolopacidae |
| Genus: | Actitis |
| Species: | A. macularius
|
| Binomial name | |
| Actitis macularius (Linnaeus, 1766)
| |
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Tringa macularia Linnaeus, 1766 | |
The spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius) is a small bird in the genus Actitis.[2]
Description[change | change source]
Spotted sandpipers are 7.1-7.9 in (18-20 cm) long. It weighs 1.2-1.8 oz (34-50 g). It has a wingspan of 14.6-15.8 in (37-40 cm). Adults have short yellowish legs and an orange bill with a dark tip. The body is brown on top and white underneath with black spots.[3]
Distribution[change | change source]
They breed near fresh water across most of Canada and the United States. They migrate to the southern United States, the Caribbean, and South America. They are very rare in western Europe.
Feeding[change | change source]
They eat insects, crustaceans and other invertebrates.
Reproduction[change | change source]
Spotted sandpipers nest on the ground. During the breeding season, females may mate with more than one male, leaving them to incubate the egg. This is called polyandry.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Actitis macularius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm dictionary of scientific bird names : from aalge to zusii. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-1-4081-3326-2. OCLC 659731768.
- ↑ "Spotted Sandpiper Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology". www.allaboutbirds.org. Retrieved 2020-10-24.
