Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyScolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
- GenusCalidris (Calidris Sandpipers)
- SpeciesCalidris melanotos (Pectoral Sandpiper)
About the Pectoral Sandpiper
The pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), often abbreviated pec, is a small, migratory wader that breeds in arctic regions of North America and Asia, wintering in South America and Oceania. It eats small invertebrates. Its nest, a hole scraped in the ground and with a thick lining, is deep enough to protect its four eggs from the cool breezes of its breeding grounds. The pectoral sandpiper is 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in) long, with a wingspan of 38–46 cm (15–18 in).
In the past widely seen as most closely related to sharp-tailed sandpiper, more recent genetic evidence has shown more complex relationships between the species of Calidris, with its closest genetic relatives probably the semipalmated sandpiper and western sandpiper species pair.
Cox's sandpiper, originally described as a new species Calidris paramelanotos, has proven to be a stereotyped hybrid between this species and the curlew sandpiper. This does not prove a particularly close relationship between these two species, as far more distantly related waders have produced hybrids.
The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name kalidris or skalidris, is a term used by Aristotle for some... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Pectoral Sandpiper in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve
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Calidris minutilla
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Calidris himantopus
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Calidris mauri
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
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Tringa melanoleuca
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata
Solitary Sandpiper
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Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Long-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus scolopaceus
Upland Sandpiper
Bartramia longicauda
Northern Jacana
Jacana spinosa
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Pectoral Sandpiper in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pectoral Sandpiper sighting in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pectoral Sandpiper in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve?
November has the highest sighting rate for Pectoral Sandpiper in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.