White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis)

White-rumped Sandpiper

[order] CHARADRIIFORMES | [family] Scolopacidae | [latin] Calidris fuscicollis | [UK] White-rumped Sandpiper | [FR] Becasseau a croupion blanc | [DE] Weissburzel-Strandlaufer | [ES] Correlimos Culiblanco | [NL] Bonapartes Strandloper

Subspecies

Monotypic species

Physical charateristics

White uppertail-coverts contrast with dark rump and tail; yellow base to lower mandible; crown, cheeks, mantle and scapulars centred dark brown and edged rufous pink and grey; wing-coverts paler; sides of neck, breast and flanks spotted and streaked brown; at rest, wings project beyond tail tip. Male has inflatable throat; female averages slightly larger, with smaller white throat. Non-breeding adult has head and upperpart8 plain ashy brown with faint streaks and paler fringes; breast pale ashy brown with faint dark streaks. Juvenile like breeding adult, but upperparts more brightly colored, and with more white tips; breast streaked and washed buff-grey.

Listen to the sound of White-rumped Sandpiper

[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/W/White-rumped Sandpiper.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

wingspan min.: 41 cm wingspan max.: 43 cm
size min.: 15 cm size max.: 16 cm
incubation min.: 21 days incubation max.: 22 days
fledging min.: 16 days fledging max.: 22 days
broods: 1   eggs min.: 3  
      eggs max.: 4  

Range

North America : North

Habitat

Breeds in low areas on marshy, hummocky tundra, well vegetated with mosses, grasses, sedges or shrubs. On migration in N South America, occurs on sea beaches, riverbanks, open fields and marshes. On wintering grounds, on intertidal mudflats, salt-marshes, flood fields, marshes, ponds and lagoons.

Reproduction

Egg laying early to mid June. Polygynous and solitary, territory vigorously defended by male during egg-laying. Nests usually widely spaced, but sometimes as close as 12 m. Male extends highly inflatable throat while performing aerial display. Nests are built near ponds, lakes or streams, well hidden, shallow scrape with lining of willow leaves and bits of moss and lichens. 4 eggs are laid females single-brooded, incubation period about 22 days. Male deserts female soon after egg-laying. Chicks are mottled grey-brown or tawny and black above with white spots.

Feeding habits

Invertebrates, including adult and larval insects, such as grasshoppers, beetles and cranetlies, also spiders, small molluscs, crustaceans, leeches, polychaete worms and earthworms; some seeds. On breeding grounds, probes in moss and wet vegetation; during non-breeding season probes in muddy substrates at edge of water and picks prey from surface. May defend feeding territories on wintering grounds.

Conservation

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
White-rumped Sandpiper status Least Concern

Migration

Migratory. Migrates in few, non-stop jumps of up to 4,000 km; flies from NE North America over W Atlantic directly to N South America, whence continues with short hops down coast, then moving inland at mouth of R Amazon, reaching wintering grounds 1 month later; shows some degree of site fidelity. During N migration flies across Central America, Caribbean and inland North America, staging Great Planes; little information on other staging areas. Departs from winter quarter Mar to mid-Apr, arriving N South America late Apr to mid-May, and on breeding grounds early Jun. Leaves breeding grounds up to early Aug; arrives at Canadian coast Aug to early Sept, n South America late Aug, and S Brazil and Argentina mid-Nov to Dec.

Distribution map

White-rumped Sandpiper distribution range map

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