|
|
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
(actitis macularia) |
COMMON SANDPIPER
(actitis hypoleucos) |
| Frequency in North America
|
Common
breeding bird but becomes rare in winter north of S. Carolina or Seattle
|
Extremely
rare on East coast (<5 records); recorded annually Alaska and/or
West Coast in winter |
| All
Plumages
|
Behavior
|
Pulsating
wing-beats teeters |
Same
as spotted |
| In
Flight |
Short
wing stripe seen mostly in primaries on outer wing |
Conspicuous
longer wing stripe extends through secondaries on inner wing |
| Tail
Extension |
Short-tailed
has short tail extension beyond wing-tips |
Long-tailed;
tail extends well beyond wing-tips |
| Voice
|
Short
whistled "Peet" or doubled "Peet-weet"
| "Hee-dee-dee"
on rising alarm is urgent drawn-out "heeep" |
| Adult
Breeding
|
Under
parts |
Uniquely
spotted |
No
spotting, sides of breast brown and streaked |
| Leg
Color |
Bright
yellow flesh-colored or pink |
dull
yellow/gray |
| Adult Winter
|
Leg
Color |
Yellowish
and usually brighter than Common Sandpiper |
Greenish
brownish or dull yellowish/gray |
| Juvenile
|
Breast
|
Breast-sides
tend to be grayer and more uniform |
Breast-sides
tend to be browner and less uniform |
| Tertials
|
Tertial
edges are plain |
Tertial
edges finely notched with pale buff |
| Wing
Coverts |
Barring
contrasts with plainer scapulars |
Barring
not strong contrast with scapulars |
| Bill
|
Pale
pink with dark tip |
Dull;
not pink |