Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyScolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
- GenusActitis (Common and Spotted Sandpipers)
- SpeciesActitis macularius (Spotted Sandpiper)
About the Spotted Sandpiper
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.
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.
Adults have short yellowish legs and an orange bill with a dark tip. The body is brown on top and white underneath with black spots. These spots vary in degree over the course of spotted sandpipers' lives, becoming especially prevalent around the breeding season. The overall health of spotted sandpipers... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Spotted Sandpiper in Gros Morne National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Gros Morne National Park
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Numenius hudsonicus
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Calidris pusilla
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
Sanderling
Calidris alba
White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Spotted Sandpiper in Gros Morne National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Sandpiper sighting in Gros Morne National Park, based on 253 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Spotted Sandpiper in Gros Morne National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Spotted Sandpiper in Gros Morne National Park in our monthly data.