The spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius) is a small shorebird. Together with its sister species the common sandpiper (A. hypoleucos), it makes up the genus Actitis. They replace each other geographically; stray birds may settle down with breeders of the other species and hybridize.

Taxonomy

The spotted sandpiper was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1766 in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Tringa macularia. The type locality is Pennsylvania. The species is now placed together with common sandpiper in the genus Actitis and was introduced in 1811 by the German zoologist Johann Illiger. The genus name Actitis is from the Ancient Greek aktites meaning "coast-dweller" from akte meaning "coast". The specific epithet macularius is Latin meaning "spotted". The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

Non-breeding birds, depicted below, do not have the spotted underparts, and are very similar to the common sandpiper of Eurasia; the main difference is the more washed-out wing pattern visible in flight and the normally light yellow legs and feet of the spotted sandpiper. The Actitis species have a distinctive stiff-winged flight low over the water. They also have a distinctive walk in which their tails bob up and down. Males and females exhibit similar physical measurements, but differ in weight; females tend to be about 20-25% heavier than males.

Measurements:

  • Length: 7.1-7.9 in (18–20 cm)
  • Weight: 1.2-1.8 oz (34-50 g)
  • Wingspan: 14.6-15.8 in (37–40 cm)

Distribution

Spotted sandpipers are a philopatric species. The search for mates amongst female spotted sandpipers is much more competitive than finding potential mates for males. Additionally, mated females have testosterone concentrations that are 7 times higher than those of unmated females. crustaceans and other invertebrates (such as spiders, snails, other molluscs, and worms),

Conservation status

Although there has been some decline in the population of spotted sandpipers, their conservation status is currently of least concern. However, the decrease in the population of spotted sandpipers is not projected to slow or stop in the future. The destruction of their natural habitats due to increasing wildfires causes problems for breeding and raising offspring. Additionally, the gradual increase in temperatures poses a problem for newborn sandpipers.

Etymology

The word Actitis comes from the Greek word for "coast-dweller", while the word macularius comes from the Latin word for "spotted".

thumb|Eggs, Collection [[Museum Wiesbaden]]

<gallery>

File:Actitis-macularia-004.jpg|Front view

File:Spotted Sandpiper (non-breeding plumage) (32877802088).jpg|Non-breeding plumage

File:Brodziec_plamisty_1.jpg|Spotted sandpiper hunting in the Wallkill River Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey and New York (state)

File:Spotted Sandpiper (8705161641).jpg|Spotted sandpiper foraging in Fox River Grove, Illinois

</gallery>

Video

none|thumb|A spotted sandpiper, or "teeterpeep", displaying its trademark bobbing-motion while foraging in a harbor in Oakland, CA.

References

Further reading

  • Vinicombe, Keith (2006) ID in depth: Spotted Sandpiper Birdwatch 171: 29-31
  • Spotted Sandpiper Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  • Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularia - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter