Actitis macularius (Linnaeus, 1766)

Adult Body Features

Adult spotted sandpipers (Actitis macularius) have short yellowish legs and an orange bill with a dark tip. Their upper bodies are brown, and their white underparts are marked with black spots.

Spot Development Over Life

The extent of these spots changes over the course of a spotted sandpiper's life, and becomes especially prominent during the breeding season. An individual's level of "spottiness" may indicate its overall health: generally, females with more spots are healthier than females with fewer spots.

Male Spot Correlation Research

It has not yet been determined whether spot amount correlates with condition in males. As spotted sandpipers age, their individual spots become smaller and grow more irregular in shape.

Head Marking

Spotted sandpipers also have a white supercilium.

Non-Breeding Plumage

Non-breeding spotted sandpipers do not have spotted underparts, and are very similar to the Eurasian common sandpiper. The main differences are that spotted sandpipers have a more washed-out wing pattern in flight, and normally have light yellow legs and feet.

Flight Characteristics

Members of the genus Actitis, including spotted sandpipers, have a distinctive stiff-winged flight that stays low over water.

Walking Behavior

They also have a distinctive walking style where their tails bob up and down.

Sexual Dimorphism

Males and females have similar physical measurements, but differ in weight: females are typically 20-25% heavier than males.

Species Morphometrics

This species has a recorded length of 7.1-7.9 in (18–20 cm), weight of 1.2-1.8 oz (34-50 g), and wingspan of 14.6-15.8 in (37–40 cm).

Philopatry Trait

Spotted sandpipers are a philopatric species.

Breeding Habitat

Their breeding habitat is located near fresh water across most of Canada and the United States.

Migration Range

They migrate to the southern United States, the Caribbean, and South America, and are very rare vagrants to western Europe.

Social Behavior

They are not gregarious birds, and are seldom seen in flocks.

North American Distribution Status

Due to their high breeding rates and ability to adapt to various environmental pressures, spotted sandpipers are the most widespread species of their kind in North America.

Foraging Methods

Spotted sandpipers forage on the ground or in water, picking up food by sight. They may also catch insects while in flight.

Diet Composition

Their diet includes insects (such as flies, beetles, grasshoppers, mayflies, midges, crickets, and caterpillars), crustaceans, other invertebrates (such as spiders, snails, other molluscs, and worms), small fish, and carrion.

Foraging Movement Cue

As they forage, they can be recognized by their constant nodding and teetering movement.