Coastal Carolina

Scolopax minor HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 8.25 inches * Dumpy, short-legged, short-tailed, rounded-winged shorebird * Explosive takeoff when flushed, wings make twittering sound in flight * Very long bill * Very large, dark eye set high in head * Buff-brown head, breast and belly buff to pale cinnamon * Black nape crossed by pale lines * Dark eyeline and auricular stripe * Gray-brown back, with black and chestnut feathering interspersed between two pale Vs * Upperwings reddish-brown; underwings brown, with rusty wing linings * Rusty rump; dark rectrices tipped gray/white * Found in woodlands and shrubby fields * Sexes similar * Juvenile similar to adult Similar species: Common Snipe is more slender and browner, without the crossbars on nape. In flight, the Common Snipe has much more pointed wings.

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Calidris alpina HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 7 inches * Medium-sized shorebird * Medium-sized, thin, dark bill with droop at tip * Black legs * Black patch on rump extending onto tail * White wing stripe * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * White head and breast with faint black streaks and spots * Black belly * Rusty mantle with black spots * White undertail coverts and flanks Adult basic: * Gray head with pale indistinct supercilium * Gray breast with indistinct streaking * Gray upperparts * White belly and undertail coverts Juvenile: * Similar to adult basic * Upperparts rustier than basic adult * Head and breast with brownish wash Similar species: In alternate plumage, the black belly is also found in the Rock Sandpiper. The Rock Sandpiper has less extensive black on the belly and yellow legs. In basic and juvenile plumages, the Dunlin is similar to several other species. It is a darker gray than Western Sandpiper and Sanderling. The Dunlin lacks the white rump of White-rumped and Curlew Sandpiper. Purple Sandpiper is darker gray above and has yellow legs. In flight, the Dunlin has a more substantial wing stripe than peep.

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Tringa melanoleuca HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 11 inches * Medium-sized long-legged shorebird * Long, thin bill is slightly upturned * Dark bill often has a slightly paler base * Bill length is approximately 1.5 times the length of the head * Bright yellow legs * White tail is crossed with thin black bars * Sexes similar * Juvenile similar to basic-plumaged adult Adult alternate: * Head, neck, and chest are extensively streaked with black * Pale flanks are barred with black * Whitish belly with sparse dark bars and chevrons * Back and upperwings are dark brown, dappled with black and white * White notches on wing feathers appear as white spots on back * Whitish supercilium and eyering, dusky lores Adult basic: * Head and neck pale, streaked sparsely with brown * Breast, and to a lesser extent, flanks, streaked and spotted with gray-brown * Dark brown back, with pale flecks and feather edges * Buff notches on wing feathers appear as white spots on back Similar species: Solitary Sandpiper is smaller, shorter-billed and has a bolder eye ring, a dark rump, and green legs. The Lesser Yellowlegs is very similar but is smaller, with a straighter and proportionately shorter bill that is uniformly dark. In alternate plumage Lesser Yellowlegs has short, indistinct bars on flanks. The safest way to distinguish the two is the call: a harsh series of three or more notes in Greater Yellowlegs versus a softer, mellower single or double note of the Lesser Yellowlegs.

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Limosa haemastica HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 13 inches * Large shorebird * Long upturned bill, pink at base and dark at tip * Black wing linings contrasting with white bases to flight feathers * White wing stripe * White rump and dark tail * Dark legs Adult alternate * Gray, streaked head with white supercilium and dark eyeline * Chestnut underparts with dense black and gray barring * Black upperparts with small white spots Adult basic * Gray upperparts and breast * White underparts Juvenile * Similar to adult basic * Wing coverts have small black tips * Brownish wash to gray upperparts Similar species: Dowitchers also have long bills and feed in a similar manner but are smaller with uniform, not pink and dark, bills. The Marbled Godwit is larger with buffy underparts. In flight, the Marbled Godwit has plain wings and a dark rump. The rare Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits are similar. They are easiest to tell apart in flight. The black wing linings of the Hudsonian Godwit are diagnostic. The Black-tailed has a wider wing stripe while the Bar-tailed Godwit has a white rump patch extending up the back.

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Calidris minutilla HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 4.75 inches * Very small shorebird * Short, thin, dark bill slightly decurved * Yellow legs * Thin, white wing stripe * Black line on rump extends onto tail * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * Brown head * Black back feathers and wing coverts with brown edges * Brown breast with black spotting * White underparts * Indistinct white supercilium with darker crown and eyeline Adult basic: * Similar to adult alternate but plumage gray-brown * Gray-brown breast band * White underparts * Indistinct white supercilium with darker crown and eyeline Juvenile: * Black-based back feathers and wing coverts with bright rusty edges * White "V" on back * Breast with golden cast and fine streaking * White underparts * Rusty crown and pale supercilium Similar species: The Least Sandpiper is one of a group of very similar small shorebirds called "peeps" but the only common one with yellow legs, a brown plumage, and a thin, slightly decurved bill. The rare Long-toed Stint is very similar (see Jonsson & Grant, 1984). The Pectoral Sandpiper is also brown with yellow legs but is larger with a crisp, squared-off division between the brown breast and white belly.

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HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 4.75 inches * Very small shorebird * Short, thin, dark bill slightly decurved * Yellow legs * Thin, white wing stripe * Black line on rump extends onto tail * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * Brown head * Black back feathers and wing coverts with brown edges * Brown breast with black spotting * White underparts * Indistinct white supercilium with darker crown and eyeline Adult basic: * Similar to adult alternate but plumage gray-brown * Gray-brown breast band * White underparts * Indistinct white supercilium with darker crown and eyeline Juvenile: * Black-based back feathers and wing coverts with bright rusty edges * White "V" on back * Breast with golden cast and fine streaking * White underparts * Rusty crown and pale supercilium Similar species: The Least Sandpiper is one of a group of very similar small shorebirds called "peeps" but the only common one with yellow legs, a brown plumage, and a thin, slightly decurved bill. The rare Long-toed Stint is very similar (see Jonsson & Grant, 1984). The Pectoral Sandpiper is also brown with yellow legs but is larger with a crisp, squared-off division between the brown breast and white belly.

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Tringa flavipes HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 8.75 inches * Medium-sized long-legged shorebird * Fairly long, thin, straight bill * Dark bill rarely has a slightly paler base * Bill length roughly equal to head length * Bright yellow legs * White tail crossed with thin black bars * Juvenile similar to basic-plumaged adult * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * Head, neck, and chest are finely streaked with black on a pale ground * Whitish supercilium and eyering, dusky lores * Flanks are barred finely with dusky * Whitish belly * Back and upperwings dark brown, dappled with black and white * White notches on wing feathers appear as white spots on back Adult basic: * Head and neck pale, streaked sparsely with brown * Breast, and to a lesser extent, flanks, streaked and spotted with gray-brown * Dark brown back with pale flecks and feather edges * Buff notches on wing feathers appear as white spots on back Similar species: Solitary Sandpiper is smaller, shorter-billed and has a bolder eye ring, a dark rump, and green legs. The Greater Yellowlegs is very similar but is larger, with a slightly upturned and proportionately longer bill. In alternate plumage the Lesser is more finely streaked about the head, neck, and flanks. The safest way to distinguish the two is the call: a harsh series of three or more notes in Greater Yellowlegs versus a softer, mellower single or double note of the Lesser Yellowlegs.

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HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 8.75 inches * Medium-sized long-legged shorebird * Fairly long, thin, straight bill * Dark bill rarely has a slightly paler base * Bill length roughly equal to head length * Bright yellow legs * White tail crossed with thin black bars * Juvenile similar to basic-plumaged adult * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * Head, neck, and chest are finely streaked with black on a pale ground * Whitish supercilium and eyering, dusky lores * Flanks are barred finely with dusky * Whitish belly * Back and upperwings dark brown, dappled with black and white * White notches on wing feathers appear as white spots on back Adult basic: * Head and neck pale, streaked sparsely with brown * Breast, and to a lesser extent, flanks, streaked and spotted with gray-brown * Dark brown back with pale flecks and feather edges * Buff notches on wing feathers appear as white spots on back Similar species: Solitary Sandpiper is smaller, shorter-billed and has a bolder eye ring, a dark rump, and green legs. The Greater Yellowlegs is very similar but is larger, with a slightly upturned and proportionately longer bill. In alternate plumage the Lesser is more finely streaked about the head, neck, and flanks. The safest way to distinguish the two is the call: a harsh series of three or more notes in Greater Yellowlegs versus a softer, mellower single or double note of the Lesser Yellowlegs.

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Limnodromus scolopaceus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 10 inches * Medium-sized shorebird * Long, straight bill * Dull, yellowish legs * White rump extends in wedge onto back * Tail barred black and white * Sexes similar Adult alternate: * Reddish underparts with black spots on throat and breast and barred belly and flanks * Dark crown and eyeline with reddish supercilium * Black bases to back feathers with reddish edges Adult basic: * Pale gray head with white supercilium * Pale gray breast with faint spotting * Gray upperparts * White belly and undertail coverts Juvenile: * Mantle feathers dark with thin brown edges * Head and breast with brown wash and scattered spots Similar species: The most distinctive feature of dowitchers is their long bill. Godwits also have extremely long bills but their bills are bicolored and they are larger. In flight, dowitchers can be picked out of mixed shorebird flocks by the white "v" extending up the back. The Long-billed Dowitcher is very similar to the Short-billed Dowitcher. In alternate plumage, the Long-billed Dowitcher has barred flanks and a reddish belly; some races of the Short-billed Dowitcher have barred flanks and some have reddish bellies but not on the same bird. Juvenile Short-billed Dowithchers have a more orange plumage than juvenile Long-billed Dowithcers. The best field mark for separating the juvenile plumages is the appearance of the tertials. In the Short-billed they have internal orange stripes while in the Long-billed they have a thin brown fringe with no internal markings. Winter plumage dowitchers are very similar.

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