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Belongs in the same genus as our more familiar Least Sandpiper, but is over twice the size! Breeds in the far northern tundra and is an annual but uncommon migrant along the coast mostly in the fall. Winters to the south from California to South America. Our only record is of a specimen collected at Sumas Lake in the late 1890. Often found among flocks of Black-bellied Plovers.
Similar species:
Similar in size to dowitchers but with a much shorter bill. An adult in breeding plumage is an exotic pale salmon colour but often is mostly molted by the time the birds reach our area leaving a grey bird. Juveniles, as pictured to the left, similar but with more scaley pattern on the back.
Sources:
Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, (1988)
Sibley, D. 2000
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