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Stilt Sandpiper
Calidris himantopus
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G5
State (S-rank): SNA
External links
General information
The stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus, breeds along the coasts of Alaska, northwestern Canada, and Hudson Bay in wet tundra meadows. This shorebird is infrequently seen in Utah during its migration to wintering grounds in interior South America and Central America.
This bird forages in pools, lagoons, freshwater ponds, flooded fields, and swamps, unlike most sandpipers, which forage on mudflats and beaches. It feeds on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and occasionally seeds.
Eggs are laid in an unlined depression among grasses, often on slightly elevated ground. Between late June and August, four eggs are laid. Incubation duties are shared by both parents, with the male usually incubating during the day, and the female incubating primarily at night. Young hatch after 19 to 21 days and leave the nest almost immediately. Both parents tend the young after hatching, but the male alone may care for them after a short time. Young are independent after just 14 days, though they do not fly until they are 17 or 18 days old.
Phenology
See Robert et al. (1989).
Species range
BREEDING: northeastern Alaska across northern Canada to northeastern Manitoba and northern Ontario, and probably locally south to borders of taiga; north to Victoria and Jenny Lind islands, Northwest Territories. NON-BREEDING: primarily in South America (mainly Bolivia and southern Brazil to northern Chile and northern Argentina), casually north to southeastern California, Gulf Coast and Florida (AOU 1983).
Migration
Migrates northward through U.S. from March into May; begins to arrive in breeding areas in late May. Migrates mainly through central U.S.; rare along east coast in nortward migration, common when moving south; rare but regular along west coast. Adults begin southward migration in early to mid-July; juveniles depart by end of August. Flies in dense flocks.
Habitat
Nonbreeding: mudflats, flooded fields, shallow ponds and pools, and marshes (AOU 1983). Nests in sedge tundra near water, often near wooded borders of the taiga (AOU 1983), on the ground in a shallow scrape, often on a slightly raised site (e.g., atop small sedge hummock or on low well-drained gravel ridge crossing sedge meadow). Tends to return to same nesting site in successive years.
Food habits
Feeds on worms, fly and mosquito larvae, and small mollusks; also feeds on seeds, roots, and leaves of aquatic plants (Terres 1980). Forages at water's edge in compact flocks; may immerse head under water to feed. Does not feed extensively on nesting territory; forages in small tundra ponds up to 8 km from nest (see Johnson and Herter 1989).
Ecology
During migration often seen in association with dowitchers and greater and lesser yellowlegs. Forage up to 8 kilometers from nest (Jehl 1973).
Reproductive characteristics
Egg laying peaked during the second week of June on Victoria Island. Both sexes (male by day, female by night) incubate 4 eggs for average of 20 days. Hatching peaks in early July. Nestlings are precocial, leave nest soon after hatching, independent in about 14 days (fledging period reported as at least 17 days). At Churchill, Manitoba, nesting density was 5-25 pairs per sq km (see Johnson and Herter 1989).
Threats or limiting factors
The recovery of the Canada Goose and Snow Goose may be harming the Stilt Sandpiper on its breeding grounds by altering the tundra habitat (National Audubon Society, 2014). Wetlands destruction continue at a rapid place in many places along the migratoin route for this species. Climate change may impact this species northern latitude breeding grounds.
References
- Klima, J., and J. R. Jehl, Jr. 1998. Stilt sandpiper (Calidris himantopus). Birds of North America 341: 20 pp.
- Baicich, P. J., and C. J. O. Harrison. 1997. A guide to the nests, eggs, and nestlings of North American Birds, Second Ed. Academic Press, San Diego. 347 pp.
