Color Key to North American Birds Part 28

[Ill.u.s.tration: 281.]

=281. Mountain Plover= (_Podasocys montana_). L. 9. No black on breast. _Ads._ Lores and crown-band black; above grayish brown washed with pale rusty. _Yng._ Similar, but no black, rusty wash deeper.

_Winter._ Same as last but rusty paler.

Range.--Western United States; breeds from Kansas to North Dakota; winters westward to California, south to Lower California and Mexico; accidental in Florida.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 231.]

=231. Dowitcher= (_Macrorhamphus griseus_) L. 10.5; B. 2.1, pitted at tip. _Ads._ _Rump_, _tail_, under wing-coverts, and axillars _barred_ black and white; above black margined with rusty; rump, white; below reddish brown, spotted and barred with black. _Yng._ Similar, but breast gray tinged with rusty; belly white. _Winter._ Above gray, breast gray mixed with dusky, belly white.

Range.--Eastern North America; breeds chiefly north and northwest of Hudson Bay; winters from Florida to northern South America.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 232.]

=232. Long-billed Dowitcher= (_Macrorhamphus scolopaceus_). B. 2.1 to 2.9. Similar to preceding but larger, bill longer; in adult spring plumage more barred below. _Notes._ A lisping, energetic musical, _peet-peet_; _p?e-ter-w?e-too_; _w?e-too_ repeated. (Nelson.)

Range.--"Western North America, breeding in Alaska to the Arctic coast, migrating south in winter through western United States (including Mississippi Valley) to Mexico, and less commonly along Atlantic coast." (A.O.U.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: 233.]

=233. Stilt Sandpiper= (_Micropalama himantopus_). L. 8.2; tarsus long, 1.6. _Ads._ Entire underparts and upper tail-coverts white barred with black; tail not barred. _Yng._ Resembles ad. but below white, breast lightly streaked: rump white no bars. _Winter._ Similar to yng. but back gray.

Range.--Eastern North America; breeds within Arctic Circle; winters from Florida to South America.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 234.]

=234. Knot= (_Tringa canutus_). L. 10.5; B. 1.3. Upper tail-coverts with black bars and loops; tail feathers without bars narrowly margined with white. _Ads._ Mixed black, gray and reddish brown above, reddish brown below. _Yng._ Above gray, margined with cream-white and black; below white; breast lightly streaked. _Winter._ Similar, but above gray.

Range.--Northern hemisphere; breeds within Arctic circle; winters from Florida to South America: migrates chiefly along the coasts, rare on Pacific coast of United States.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 244.]

=244. Curlew Sandpiper= (_Erolia ferruginea_). L. 8; B. 1.5, slightly curved. _Ads._ Below chestnut-rufous, above rusty and black. _Yng._ Above brownish gray margined with whitish; back blacker; below white.

_Winter._ Above plain brownish gray; below white.

Range.--"Old World in general; occasional in Eastern North America and Alaska." (A.O.U.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: 235.]

=235. Purple Sandpiper= (_Arquatella maritima_). L. 9. _Ads._ Above black, margined with rusty and cream-buff; below white, breast and sides heavily marked with black. _Winter._ Head, neck, and breast, slaty; back blacker, margined with slaty; central secondaries largely white.

Range.--"Northern portions of the northern hemisphere; in North America chiefly the northeastern portions, breeding in the high north, migrating in winter to the Eastern and Middle States (casually to Florida), the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi Valley." (A.O.U.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: 236.]

=236. Aleutian Sandpiper= (_Arquatella couesi_). L. 8.5. Similar to No. 235, but ad. and yng. with more ochraceous; in winter grayish margins to back lighter and wider. _Notes._ When flying, a low, clear, musical _tweo-tweo-tweo_; when feeding, _cl-cl-cl_. (Nelson.)

Range.--"Aleutian Islands and coast of Alaska, north to Kowak River, west to Commander Islands, Kamchatka." (A.O.U.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: 256.]

=256. Solitary Sandpiper= (_Helodromas solitarius_). L. 8.4. Under wing-coverts, axillars, and all but middle tail-feathers barred black and white. _Ads._ Above fuscous with a faint greenish tinge; head and neck streaked, back spotted with whitish; below white; throat and breast distinctly streaked with dusky. _Yng._ Fewer spots and streaks above; breast markings fused. _Winter._ Practically no white markings above.

Range.--Eastern North America; breeds from Northern States (rarely and sporadically) northward; little known of breeding habits; winters south of United States to South America.

=256a. Western Solitary Sandpiper= (_H. s. cinnamomeus_). Similar to No. 256, but spots above buffy, especially in fall; inner margin of outer primary speckled black and white.

Range.--Western North America; breeds in British Columbia (exact breeding range unknown); winters south of United States.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 263.]

=263. Spotted Sandpiper= (_Act.i.tis macularia_). L. 7.5. _Ads._ Below white _thickly_ spotted with black; above brownish gray with a faint greenish l.u.s.tre, lightly marked with black. _Yng._ Similar above but faintly margined with dusky and buff; below white, breast grayer; _no black marks_. _Winter._ Same but no margins above. _Notes._ _Peet-weet_, repeated.

Range.--North America, north to Hudson Bay; breeds throughout its North American range; winters from southern California and West Indies to South America.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 284.]

=284. Black Turnstone= (_Arenaria melanocephala_). L. 9. No rusty; lower back, longer upper tail-coverts and base of tail white; shorter upper tail-coverts black. _Ads._ Above and breast brownish black; belly white. _Yng._ Browner margined with whitish. _Winter._ Same as Yng, but no margins. _Notes._ A sharp, _weet_, _weet_, _too-weet_.

(Nelson.)

Range.--"Pacific coast of North America from Point Barrow, Alaska to Santa Margarita Island, Lower California; breeding from Alaska to British Columbia." (A.O.U.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: 237.]

=237. Pribilof Sandpiper= (_Arquatella ptilocnemis_). L. 10. _Ads._ Similar to No. 236 above but crown much lighter; _breast_ with a _black patch_. _Yng._ Resemble adult above but breast grayish indistinctly streaked and with a pale buff band; belly white.

_Winter._ Similar to yng. but slaty gray above.

Range.--"Breeding in the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, and migrating to coast of adjacent mainland south of Norton Sound." (A.O.U.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: 243a.]

=243a. Red-backed Sandpiper= (_Pelidna alpina pacifica_). L. 8; B. 1.5; slightly curved. _Ads._ Belly black; back chiefly rusty.

_Yng._ Breast buffy, lightly streaked with dusky; belly white _spotted_ with black; back black, rusty, and buff. _Winter._ Above brownish gray; below white; breast grayish, indistinctly streaked.

Range.--North America; breeds in Arctic regions and winters from Gulf States and California to South America.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 246.]

=246. Semipalmated Sandpiper= (_Ereunetes pusillus_). L. 6.3; B. .6 to .8. Toes webbed at base. _Ads._ Above brownish gray and black; _little or no rusty_; below white, breast _indistinctly_ streaked.

_Yng._ Above with rusty and whitish margins; below white, breast grayish no streaks. _Winter._ Above brownish gray with black shaft streaks; below white. _Notes._ _weet-weet_.

Range.--Eastern North America; breeds in Arctic regions; winters from Gulf States to South America.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 247.]

=247. Western Sandpiper= (_Ereunetes occidentalis_). Similar to preceding but bill longer .8 to 1.2; ads. more rusty above, breast streaks more distinct, and more numerous. _Notes._ Call, a soft _weet-weet_; song, uttered on the wing, "a rapid, uniform series of rather musical trills." (Nelson.)

Range.--North America, chiefly west of Mississippi Valley; breeds in Arctic regions; winters from Gulf States to South America.