New England Shorebird Guide

A web app for introductory or medium-experience bird-watchers.

New England Shorebird Guide

For introductory or medium-experience birdwatchers.

Contents created by Soheil Zendeh
Edited by Marsha Salett
Web App by Eric Swanzey
Shorebirds are a group of mostly highly migratory birds, many of which (but not all and not at all times) frequent seashores, marshes, lake shores or wetlands. Two major groups within the shorebird clan are the plovers and the sandpipers. American Oystercatcher, American Avocet and Black-necked Stilt are three additional species in the clan which have been seen in New England.
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  • American Golden-Plover photographic ID guide
    199
    American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) (AMGP) | 9.5–11.25 in. (24–28.5 cm)
  • American Oystercatcher photographic ID guide
    30
    American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) (AMOY) | 16–17.5 in. (40.6–44.4 cm)
  • Baird’s Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    84
    Baird’s Sandpiper (Calidris bairdsii) (BASA) | 5.75–7.25 in. (14–18 cm)
  • Black-bellied Plover photographic ID guide
    97
    Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) (BBPL) | 10.6–11.8 in. (27–30 cm)
  • Dunlin photographic ID guide
    93
    Dunlin (Calidris alpina) (DUNL) | 6.5–8.5 in. (16.5–21cm)
  • Eastern Willet photographic ID guide
    17
    Eastern Willet (Tringa semipalmata semipalmata) (EAWI) | 12.5–14 in. (31–35 cm)
  • Greater Yellowlegs photographic ID guide
    82
    Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) (GRYE) | 11.5–13.25 in. (29–33 cm)
  • Hudsonian Godwit photographic ID guide
    51
    Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) (HUGO) | 14.5–16.7 in (37–42 cm)
  • Least Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    99
    Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) (LESA) | 4.5–4.75 in. (11.4–12 cm)
  • Lesser Yellowlegs photographic ID guide
    67
    Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) (LEYE) | 9.25–10 in. (23–25 cm)
  • Long-billed Dowitcher photographic ID guide
    40
    Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) (LBDO) | 9.5–10.5 in. (24–26.7 cm)
  • Pectoral Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    69
    Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) (PESA) | 7.5-9 in. (19-23 cm)
  • Piping Plover photographic ID guide
    23
    Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) (PIPL) | 6.75–7.25 in. (17–19 cm)
  • Purple Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    46
    Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritime) (PUSA)
    8–8.75 in. (20–22 cm)
  • Red Knot photographic ID guide
    61
    Red Knot (Calidris canutus) (REKN) | 9–10 in. (23–25 cm)
  • Ruddy Turnstone photographic ID guide
    47
    Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) (RUTU) | 8.75–9.5 in. (22.2–24.1 cm)
  • Sanderling photographic ID guide
    69
    Sanderling (Calidris alba) (SAND) | 7.7– 8 in. (18–20 cm)
  • Semipalmated Plover photographic ID guide
    70
    Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) (SEPL) | 6.75–7.25 in. (17–19 cm)
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    100
    Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) (SESA) | 5.5–6 in. (13–15 cm)
  • Short-billed Dowitcher photographic ID guide
    84
    Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) (SBDO) | 9.0–10 in. (23–25 cm)
  • Solitary Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    45
    Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) (SOSA) | 7.5–9.25 in. (19–23 cm)
  • Stilt Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    63
    Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (STSA) | 7.9–9.1 in. (20–23 cm)
  • Upland Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    17
    Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) (UPSA) | 11.25–12.75 in. (28–32 cm)
  • Western Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    65
    Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) (WESA) | 5.5–6.75 in. (14–17 cm)
  • Western Willet photographic ID guide
    7
    Western Willet (Tringa semipalmata inornata) (WEWI) | 13.5–16.5 in. (34–41 cm)
  • Whimbrel photographic ID guide
    9
    Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) (WHIM) | 16–16.75 in. (40–42 cm)
  • White-rumped Sandpiper photographic ID guide
    99
    White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicolis) (WRSA) | 7-7.3 in. (17.8-18.5 cm)
  • Wilson’s Phalarope photographic ID guide
    19
    Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) (WIPH) | 8.75–9.5 in. (22–24 cm)
When attempting to identify a shorebird, keep in mind that size, shape, and behavior are often as helpful as plumage in determining the species.
Size and shape
In the thumbnails images above, the birds are sized to demonstrate their relative dimensions compared to other shorebirds. We also give body length information for each species. Be sure to pay attention to body shapes and postures in the illustrations.
Plumage
When attempting to identify a shorebird using plumage, keep in mind the season: many species of shorebirds undergo transformative seasonal molts, usually for winter (basic plumage) and for spring and summer (breeding or alternate plumage). There is also, usually, a distinctive juvenile plumage. In this guide we attempt to show variations and seasonal molts as well as in-between plumages.
Seasons
Due to the vast distances that most shorebird travel in the course of their annual migrations, many species are generally expected and observed at specific times of year. For example, in winter one can expect to find Purple Sandpipers, Dunlins and Sanderlings, usually at southern New England shore spots.
In spring, the first shorebirds to arrive in New England are American Woodcock (February), followed by Killdeer and then Wilson’s Snipe (March). Least Sandpipers and Greater Yellowlegs arrive in April. Most other species arrive in May, with the major movement being in the last week of May or even the first week of June. The reason for this movement late in the spring is that subarctic and arctic regions, where most of these migratory shorebirds are headed, are often covered by ice and snow until June.
Most shorebirds that nest in boreal regions finish their nesting activities by late June or, at the latest, early July. Many adults, the females in the majority of species, then leave the arctic or subarctic and begin their southward journeys, so that “fall” shorebird migration appears to start in early July. Eventually the males arrive in mid-August and the juveniles in September; migrant shorebirds move on to southern latitudes and, in many case, the southern hemisphere where they winter. By November, most species are far south of New England, although there are always a few lingerers.
The species accounts explain that certain species, such as Western Sandpiper or Long-billed Dowitcher, are extremely scarce in spring migration in New England, but expected, albeit in small numbers, in fall migration. Other species, such as Stilt Sandpiper or Baird’s Sandpiper, migrate primarily through the center of the continent, so that they are scarce in New England in both spring and fall.
Behavior
Within each of the major groupings there are subgroups which are genetically related. Species that are genetically related often, but not always, exhibit behavioral similarities or similarity in habitat preference. For example, nearly all the sandpipers in the genus Tringa teeter slightly when walking and prefer shallow water rather than mudflats or sandy beaches when foraging. Plovers in the genus Pluvialis feed by running along on a sandy or muddy substrate, then stopping suddenly to pull up a worm or other food item.
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New England Shorebird Guide

Contents created by Soheil Zendeh
Edited by Marsha Salett
Web App by Eric Swanzey

Acknowledgements

This guide would not have been possible without the cooperation and collaboration of multiple people.
Brian Harrington, Alan Kneidel and Brad Winn of Manomet have been supportive and encouraging of the project.
Many photographers have selflessly contributed photos of shorebirds for this project:
Alberto Acero
David Ascanio
Sacha Balavoine
Mario Balitbit
RJ Baltierra
Natalie Barkhouse-Bishop
Jon Bartelli
Jason Beason
Peter Bedrossian
Daniel Bellich
Joachim Bertrands
Tamara Catalan Bermudez
Julie Blue
Nadine Bluemel
Robert Bochenek
Lyall Bouchard
Daniel Branch
Joe Breindenbach
Noah Brinkman
Aidan Brubaker
Evan Buck
Brendan Burke
Alex Busato
Jeremy Calvo
Shawn Carey
Angel Cardenas
Tim Carney
Nitin Chitale
Matthew Clark
Ottoniel Cojulun
Lyann Comrack
Sharon Dewart-Hansen
Digibirdtrek.ca
Kathy Doddridge
Danilo Druetto
François Duchenne
Blair Dudeck
Alyssa DuRubeis
Dori Eldridge
Laurent Esselen
Trevor Evans
Jonathan Farooqui
Paul Fenwick
Juan Fernandez
Samuel Paul Galick
E. M. Ganin
Alexandre Godard
Delfin Gonzalez
Susan Gowen
Jim Guion
David Hall
Elizabeth Hawkins
Peter Hawrylyshyn
Amed Hernandez
Lugo Castellanos Hernandez
Mats Hildeman
John Hiles
Robert Hollander
Cameron Hunter
Liam Huber
Grace Huffman
H. Huwel
Marshall Iliff
Jackie Jacobson
Paul Jones
Frank Kahr
Peter Kennerley
Ted Keyel
Jared Keyes
Alan Kneidel
Steve Kornfeld
Susan Lamberts
Daniel Lopez-Velasco
Laura Markley
Larry Manfredi
Luciano Massa
Lawrence Master
Max Mcarthy
Steven McClellan
Tim Metcalf
John Mills
Phil Mills
Elizabeth Moon
Flavio Moschione
Marky Mutchler
Jake Nafziger
Geoff Newhouse
Jeffrey Offermann
Michiel Oversteegen
Lucie Parker
Martin Perez
Mark Peterson
Daniel Petterson
Miguel Podas
Port of Baltimore
Javier Prussing
Brian Reinke
Van Remsen
James Rieman
Kimberly Roush
Nelson Roy
Jose Ignacio Catalan Ruiz
Shelly Rutkin
Bill Schneider
Dana Siefer
Martha Sheldon
P. Smith
Sandi Sorkin
Francisco Sornosa
Mark Stephenson
Guy Stevens
Maceo Susi
Nick Tepper
Prashant Tewari
Andrew Thomas
Jeffrey Thomas
Simon Tolzman
Sergio Andres Duena Trejo
Jeremiah Trimble
Nick Valvel
Ann Vaughan
P. Vercruysse
Jorge Vidal
Margaret Viens
Davey Walters
Marjorie Watson
Sean Williams
Stephen Wittkamp
Cole Wolf
Rick Wright
Jim Yeskett
Soheil Zendeh
Sam Zhang
Matt Zuro
Images from these photographers are used in this guide solely for non-profit educational purposes.
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