Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

__NOTOC__Taxobox
name = Pectoral Sandpiper


image_caption = Adult brooding hatchlings
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
subclassis = Neornithes
infraclassis = Neognathae
superordo = Neoaves
ordo = Charadriiformes
familia = Scolopacidae
subordo = Scolopaci
genus = "Calidris" (disputed)
species = "C. melanotos"
binomial = "Calidris melanotos"
binomial_authority = Vieillot, 1819
synonyms ="Actodromas maculata"
"Erolia melanotos"

The Pectoral Sandpiper, "Calidris melanotos", is a small wader. It is sometimes separated with other "stint" sandpipers in "Erolia". These may or may not be a good monophyletic group depending on the placement of the phylogenetically enigmatic Curlew Sandpiper, though in any case the genus name "Ereunetes" was established before "Erolia".

"Cox's Sandpiper" ("Calidris" × "paramelanotos") is a stereotyped hybrid between this species and the Curlew Sandpiper. This does not prove a particularly close relationship between these two species, as far more distantly related waders have successfully hybridized.

Description

This bird is similar to its relative, the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, which breeds entirely within the Pectoral's Asian range. It is a largish calidrid, with a grey-brown back, brownest in the summer male, and greyest in winter. Pectoral Sandpiper has a grey breast, sharply demarcated at its lower edge, which gives this species its English name. The legs are yellowish.

The juveniles are more brightly patterned above with rufous colouration and white mantle stripes.

This species differs from the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in its breast pattern, weaker supercilium and greyer crown.

Distribution and ecology

It breeds in the boggy tundra of northeast Asia and North America. On migration and in winter, the Pectoral Sandpiper is typically found in fresh water habitats. These birds forage on grasslands and mudflats, picking up food by sight, sometimes by probing. They mainly eat arthropods and other invertebrates.

It is a very long-distance migrant. The American and most of the Asian birds winter in South America, but some Asian breeders winter in southern and Australia and New Zealand. There is data indicating that the migration might be affected by global warming, as is suspected for many Arctic-breeding birds: 100 years ago, migrating Pectoral Sandpipers were observed to pass through northern Ohio in early-mid May and again in late August; today, the bulk of the northward migration takes place in April already, and most birds do not return until mid-September. [Henninger (1906), OOS (2004)]

This species occurs as a regular migrant to western Europe, and is not considered as a rarity in Ireland or Great Britain. Many of the birds occurring in Western Europe may be on a regular migration from Asian breeding grounds to winter in Southern Africa. [Lees & Gilroy (2004)] September 2003 saw a record influx to those two countries, with 40 found in Ireland, and 150 in Great Britain. While the Pectoral Sandpiper has not been recorded as breeding species in Europe, it has been found in Scotland in suitable breeding habitat in summer. [Vittery (1997)] On the US Pacific coast, such stagings of migrant flocks appear to be rarer. [For example the species was described as "unusual" in San Mateo County, California in the late 19th century, despite nearby San Francisco Bay offering excellent stopover habitat (Littlejohn 1916).]

This species nests on the ground, laying four eggs. The male has a display involving puffing up his breast, which has a fat sac in the breeding season to enhance his performance.

Footnotes

References

*|year=2004|id=49084|title=Calidris melanotos|downloaded=9 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* (1986): "Shorebirds: an identification guide to the waders of the world". Houghton Mifflin, Boston. ISBN 0-395-60237-8
* (1906): A preliminary list of the birds of Seneca County, Ohio. "Wilson Bull." 18(2): 47-60. [http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Wilson/DJVU/v018n02/P0047-P0060.djvu DjVu fulltext] [http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Wilson/v018n02/p0047-p0060.pdf PDF fulltext]
* (2004): Pectoral Sandpipers in Europe: vagrancy patterns and the influx of 2003. "Brit. Birds" 97(12): 638–646. [http://www.eurobirding.com/birdingmagazines/artinfo.php?id=7797 HTML abstract]
* (1916): Some unusual records for San Mateo County, California. Abstract in: aut|Cooper Club: Minutes of Cooper Club Meetings. "Condor" 18(1): 38-40. [http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/files/DJVU/v018n01/P0038-P0040.djvu DjVu fulltext] [http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/files/issues/v018n01/p0038-p0040.pdf PDF fulltext]
* (2004): Annotated Ohio state checklist. Version of April 2004. [http://www.ohiobirds.org/publications/OBRClist.pdf PDF fulltext]
* (1997): "The Birds of Sutherland". Colin Baxter Photography. ISBN 1900455188

External Links

* [http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/species.jsp?lang=EN&id=35D5E299FF042D88&ts=1220177583208&sec=summary Avibase]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pectoral sandpiper — Pectoral Pec to*ral (p[e^]k t[ o]*ral), a. [L. pectoralis, fr. pectus, oris the breast; cf. F. pectoral.] 1. Of or pertaining to the breast, or chest; as, the pectoral muscles. [1913 Webster] 2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pectoral sandpiper — ☆ pectoral sandpiper n. a large, grayish brown, American sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) with a streaked breast, white belly, and yellow legs …   English World dictionary

  • pectoral sandpiper — Jacksnipe Jack snipe , n. (Zo[ o]l.) (a) A small European snipe ({Limnocryptes gallinula}); called also {judcock}, {jedcock}, {juddock}, {jed}, and {half snipe}. (b) A small American sandpiper ({Tringa maculata}); called also {pectoral sandpiper} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pectoral sandpiper — raibakrūtis bėgikas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Calidris melanotos; Heteropygia melanotos angl. pectoral sandpiper vok. Graubrust Strandläufer, m rus. дутыш, m pranc. bécasseau à poitrine cendrée, m ryšiai: platesnis… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • pectoral sandpiper — noun American sandpiper that inflates its chest when courting • Syn: ↑jacksnipe, ↑Calidris melanotos • Hypernyms: ↑sandpiper • Member Holonyms: ↑Calidris, ↑genus Calidris …   Useful english dictionary

  • pectoral sandpiper — an American sandpiper, Calidris melanotos, the male of which, when courting, inflates its chest conspicuously. [1820 30, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • Pectoral — Pec to*ral (p[e^]k t[ o]*ral), a. [L. pectoralis, fr. pectus, oris the breast; cf. F. pectoral.] 1. Of or pertaining to the breast, or chest; as, the pectoral muscles. [1913 Webster] 2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or lungs; as …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pectoral arch — Pectoral Pec to*ral (p[e^]k t[ o]*ral), a. [L. pectoralis, fr. pectus, oris the breast; cf. F. pectoral.] 1. Of or pertaining to the breast, or chest; as, the pectoral muscles. [1913 Webster] 2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pectoral cross — Pectoral Pec to*ral (p[e^]k t[ o]*ral), a. [L. pectoralis, fr. pectus, oris the breast; cf. F. pectoral.] 1. Of or pertaining to the breast, or chest; as, the pectoral muscles. [1913 Webster] 2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pectoral fins — Pectoral Pec to*ral (p[e^]k t[ o]*ral), a. [L. pectoralis, fr. pectus, oris the breast; cf. F. pectoral.] 1. Of or pertaining to the breast, or chest; as, the pectoral muscles. [1913 Webster] 2. Relating to, or good for, diseases of the chest or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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