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Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Calidris acuminataOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)
Codes: Common Name: SPTS Scientific Name: CALACU ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176652
Least Concern
 
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Jelly Jar Jelly Feeder
The orange "blossum" replaces the lid of a jelly jar.
Attract Orioles with Fruit
Sliced orange secures easily to the center of the ring. Low cost.
Attract with Nectar
Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
Charm and Attraction
Lovely copper umbrella keeps fruit cool and looks great.

Overview

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: Medium sandpiper with dark brown upperparts and white underparts with faint olive-brown streaks on breast and sides. Head has rufous crown, white eye ring and eyestripe. Wings are dark brown. Tail is dark brown and pointed in flight. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.


Range and Habitat

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: Eurasian species; casual spring and common fall migrant in western Alaska; rare fall migrant along entire Pacific coast. Preferred habitats include tidal sandbars, mudflats, estuaries, swamps, inland lakes, and shorelines.

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Topo Map: Sandpiper-like Body


Voice Text

"pleep-pleep-trrt"

Interesting Facts

 A review of new data has indicated that the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper should perhaps better be placed into the genus Philomachus - as P. acuminatus - which now contains only the Ruff.

 Its larger size and long-legged stance, and the breast pattern which gradually fades away on the belly as in the Ruff instead of having a fairly sharp border as in the Calidris/Erolia stints indicate that placement in Philomachus may be correct.

 Its population as of 2004 was estimated at 160,000 individuals.

 A group of sandpipers has many collective nouns, including a "bind", "contradiction", "fling", "hill", and "time-step" of sandpipers.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Imran Kahn

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Range Map for Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

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Family Sandpiper (Scolopacidae)_blue
Species Calidris acuminata
Length8 - 9 Inches
Wingspan17 Inches

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: Medium sandpiper with dark brown upperparts and white underparts with faint olive-brown streaks on breast and sides. Head has rufous crown, white eye ring and eyestripe. Wings are dark brown. Tail is dark brown and pointed in flight. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

● Song: "pleep-pleep-trrt"

● Foraging & Feeding: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: Eats worms, snails, crustaceans, insects, and occasionally aquatic vegetation; forages in small groups or large flocks, sometimes with other species.

● Breeding & nesting: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: Four brown-olive or green eggs speckled with brown are laid in a ground nest made of grass and leaves. Male is polygamous, mating with one or more females each season. Incubation ranges from 19 to 23 days and is carried out by the female. Young fly at 18 to 21 days.

● Similar species: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: Pectoral Sandpiper has a more mottled plumage and white eyebrow.

Flight Pattern

Swift flight with rapid wing beats.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: Eurasian species; casual spring and common fall migrant in western Alaska; rare fall migrant along entire Pacific coast. Preferred habitats include tidal sandbars, mudflats, estuaries, swamps, inland lakes, and shorelines.
BreedingPolygamous, Solitary nester
PopulationCasual to rare
MigrationMigratory
Weight2.5 Ounces
Sandpiper-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
BreastX
The upper front part of a bird.
CrownX
The crown is the top part of the birds head.
Eye ringX
The circle around the eye formed of feathers that are a different color from the rest of the face.
BellyX
The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.
RuffX
A fringe of feather growth on the neck of a male bird used in courtship displays.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX