Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Actitis macularius 3
Named for the dark-spotted breast of breeding individuals, the Spotted Sandpiper in summer is also characterized by its medium-length yellow bill, olive back, and black eye-stripes. In winter, the Spotted Sandpiper loses its spots, leaving behind a plain white breast. This is a medium-sized (7 ½ inches) sandpiper with a plump body and small head characteristic of shorebirds. Males and females are similar to one another in all seasons. One of the most widely-distributed sandpiper species in North America, Spotted Sandpipers breed from northern Canada and Alaska down to northern California, New Mexico, Missouri, and Virginia. In winter, this species migrates south to southern California, the desert southwest and coastal regions of the southeast. Some populations winter as far south as Central America and the Caribbean. The Spotted Sandpiper’s wide distribution is influenced by its ability to inhabit numerous types of shoreline habitats, including streams, ponds, and waterlogged grasslands. Spotted Sandpipers prefer freshwater habitats during the summer breeding season. In winter, they may also be found near saltwater, particularly on mudflats and lagoons. Spotted Sandpipers are most easily observed foraging along the water’s edge. They may be seen bobbing up and down as they probe the mud for small insect larvae and crustaceans, which make up the majority of their diet. This species is primarily active during the day.
Conservation status 4
Spotted sandpipers are common and widespread. Global population estimates appear to be stable at about 250,000 individuals. Threats to spotted sandpipers include pesticide poisoning, hunting and injury and foot loss due to leg-banding.
Spotted sandpipers are not threatened or endangered. They are listed as a species of "least concern" by the IUCN, and are not listed under any of the CITES appendices. They are, however, protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act.
US Migratory Bird Act: protected
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: no special status
Habitat 5
Comments: Seacoasts and shores of lakes, ponds, and streams, sometimes in marshes; prefers shores with rocks, wood, or debris; also mangrove edges in Caribbean. Nests near freshwater in both open and wooded areas, less frequently in open grassy areas away from water; on ground in growing herbage or low shrubby growth, or against log or plant tuft (Harrison 1978). In Minnesota, successful breeders usually returned to same area to breed the next year (Reed and Oring 1993).
Sources and Credits
- (c) Kenneth Cole Schneider, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosyfinch/5747130003/
- (c) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Actitis-macularia-004.jpg/460px-Actitis-macularia-004.jpg
- Adapted by Natalie LaScala from a work by (c) Smithsonian Institution, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34818306
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31374862
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28832739
