Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Appearance:

• Medium-sized shorebird
• Medium-sized, slightly drooping, dark bill
• Yellowish legs
• Black patch on rump extending onto tail
• Thin, white wing stripe  

Adult:

• Brown head with dark streaks
• Pale supercilium
• Black back feathers and wing coverts with brown edges
• Brown breast with fine streaks ending abruptly and contrasting with white underparts

Juvenile:

• Similar to adult
• Back feathers and wing coverts with pale brown, rust, or golden edges
• White 'V's on back
• Dark rusty crown

Listen to its call.

 

And now for a couple of definitions. The supercilium is the eyebrow region.  Wing coverts are the feathers that cover the base of quill feathers.

I saw these two shorebirds at McIntyre Reservoir, in the Martindale area, a few days ago. Although this is private property, the land owner kindly allows birders access to view the reservoir from the dike surrounding it. I wasn't able to get too close to these birds but you can still get a clear picture of the sharp border between the dark breast and the white belly. The legs in these photos look quite dark but I think it is just the lighting, or quite possibly mud.  It's curious how their bellies remain so white. 

Learn more about the Pectoral Sandpiper.