Baird’s Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)

Identification & Behavior: ~16.5 cm (6.5 in). The Baird’s Sandpiper in basic plumage is brownish-gray with white belly and brown rump. The alternate plumage is browner with a mottled back and finely streaked breast. It has a dusky bill and legs. Its wings project beyond the tail when the bird is standing. It is similar to the White-rumped Sandpiper but is distinguished by being brownish, having a brown rump, and a dusky bill. Also, see Least Sandpiper.

Status: The Baird’s Sandpiper is a common Boreal Migrant to Andean lakes and lagoons during the months of September through April. It normally ranges at elevations within 3200 to 4600 meters in the Andes, but it is also rare along the coast of Peru. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, Bo, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Playerito de Baird.

Sub-species: Baird’s Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii), Coues 1861.

Meaning of Name: Calidris: Gr. kalidris, skalidris= shorebird the color of ash mentioned by Aristotle. bairdii: in honor of ornithologist, collector of American specimens, and assistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, Spencer Fullerton Baird.

See more of the Family Scolopacidae