Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)

Order: Charadriiformes | Family: Scolopacidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

stilt_sandpiper
Age: Adult, basic plumage | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Chancay, Peru

stilt_sandpiper
Age: Adult, basic plumage | Sex: Unknown | Loc. North America

stilt_sandpiper
Age: Adult, basic plumage | Sex: Unknown | Loc. North America

stilt_sandpiper
Age: Adult, basic plumage | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Villa Marshes

Identification & Behavior: ~22 cm (8.6 in). The Stilt Sandpiper in basic plumage is all gray with a pale belly. The alternate plumage is overall dusky with mottled back, barred belly, and rusty on the ear area. It shows a pale eyebrow and relatively long slightly dropping bill. It has long yellowish legs and favors shallow edges of bodies of water. It resembles the Willet and Short-billed Dowitcher but is distinguished by being paler gray, yellowish legs, slender body, and thinner and slightly dropping bill.

Status: The Stilt Sandpiper is a common Boreal migrant to the coast of Peru during the months of September through April. Some individuals overwinter in South America. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, Bo, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Playero de Pata Larga.

Sub-species: Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus), Bonaparte 1826.

Meaning of Name: Calidris: Gr. kalidris, skalidris= shorebird the color of ash mentioned by Aristotle. himantopus: L. himas, himantos= strip thin and pous= foot, feet.

See more of the Family Scolopacidae   peru aves

Distribution Map
stilt sandpiperVoice

References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 01/01/2015.