The pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), often abbreviated pec, is a small, migratory wader that breeds in arctic regions of North America and Asia, wintering in South America and Oceania. It eats small invertebrates. Its nest, a hole scraped in the ground and with a thick lining, is deep enough to protect its four eggs from the cool breezes of its breeding grounds. The pectoral sandpiper is long, with a wingspan of .
Taxonomy
In the past widely seen as most closely related to sharp-tailed sandpiper, more recent genetic evidence has shown more complex relationships between the species of Calidris, with its closest genetic relatives probably the semipalmated sandpiper and western sandpiper species pair.
Cox's sandpiper, originally described as a new species Calidris paramelanotos, has proven to be 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 produced hybrids.
Etymology
The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name kalidris or skalidris, is a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific melanotos is from melas, "black" and notos, "backed".
Description
thumb|left|Adult in breeding plumage; note sharp margin of breast colour
This bird looks similar to the widely sympatric sharp-tailed sandpiper (C. acuminata), which is not however a member of the same clade in the genus. The pectoral sandpiper is a largish calidrid ( in length, with a wingspan of ) in breeding plumage, males also have a blacker breast spotted whitish. vagrant individuals were also found in Scotland in suitable breeding habitat during summer. and other invertebrates, as well as seeds.