Part 28

Crown and back blackish, strongly edged with reddish-brown; an ashy-gray wash on the breast, with numerous streaks of blackish. Well known and called by a great variety of names, of which Jack Snipe and Grass Snipe are probably the most common.

Range.—Breeds in the Arctic regions; migrates through the U. S. to South America.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER 240. Pisobia fuscicollis. 7.5 in.

Upper tail coverts white; below white, but with the throat and breast streaked with dusky, these markings extending on the sides to the tail.

Notes.—Musical whistles in no way different from those of the Least Sandpiper.

Nest.—On the ground, in grass back of beaches; eggs gray, profusely blotched with blackish brown.

Range.—Eastern N. A., breeding from Labrador and Hudson Bay northward; migrates through the U. S. east of the Rockies, to southern South America.

BAIRD SANDPIPER 241. Pisobia bairdi. 7.5 in.

Of the same, size, form and general coloration as the White-rumped Sandpiper, but the upper tail-coverts are blackish, and the breast is only very faintly streaked.

Range.—Breeds in the Arctic regions, and migrates chiefly through the interior, but to some extent on the coast, south to southern South America.

LEAST SANDPIPER 242. Pisobia minutilla. 6 in.

Smallest of our sandpipers. Upperparts blackish, edged with bright chestnut; breast and sides ashy-gray, conspicuously streaked with dusky.

Notes.—A musical whistle, “peet-weet.”

Nest.—A grass lined hollow; eggs grayish, heavily blotched with blackish brown (1.15 × .80).

Range.—Breeds from Nova Scotia and northern British Columbia northward; winters from the Gulf States and California southward.

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER 246. Ereunetes pusillus. 6.25 in.

Feet with small webs between the toes at their base. Similar in size and form to the Least Sandpiper, but the upper parts are not as bright rusty, and the breast is only faintly streaked with dusky.

Range.—Breeds from Labrador northward.

247. WESTERN SANDPIPER (E. mauri) is very similar; more rusty above, with stronger markings.

RED-BACKED SANDPIPER 243. Pelidna alpina sakhalina. 8 in.

Bill slightly decurved and rather stout. Adults in summer, with the upper parts largely bright rusty; belly black; head, throat, breast and sides strongly streaked with black. In winter, dull brownish-gray above and white below, with the breast washed with grayish and slightly streaked with dusky. Found in large flocks on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, during migrations, but rarely in the interior. Their flight is very rapid and performed in very compact flocks that act as if governed by one impulse. They are very active, feeding for a short time in one place, then flying to another. They are found most abundantly on sand bars and mud flats, rather than on the open beach.

Nest.—Usually on dry, grassy knolls, a hollow in the earth being lined with a few dried grasses. Eggs pale greenish or brownish gray, spotted with blackish (1.40 × 1.00); June.

Range.—Breeds in the Arctic regions, and winters from the Gulf coast and southern California, southward.

SANDERLING 248. Calidris leucophæa. 8 in.

Toes short and stout; no hind toe. Adults in summer, variegated above with bright reddish-brown and black; below white, the breast being strongly washed with rusty and spotted with black. In winter, plain grayish above and white below; head white, except the crown; young birds are like winter adults but have the back with some blackish. In the interior this species is found on the edges of lakes and rivers. On the coast, it is one of the boldest of the shore birds, feeding on the edge of the outer beach, often under the combing crest of the incoming waves, retreating just as the wave breaks and is dashed to foam on the beach. They are usually wary and will not allow a close approach.

Nest.—On the ground; eggs greenish-buff, spotted with black.

Range.—Breeds in the Arctic regions; winters south to Patagonia, migrating on both coasts and to a less extent in the interior.

MARBLED GODWIT 249. Limosa fedoa. 19 in.