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 Palo Verde National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Palo Verde National Park
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Calidris pusilla
Stilt Sandpiper
Calidris himantopus
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri
Baird's Sandpiper
Calidris bairdii
White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
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 Palo Verde National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pectoral Sandpiper sighting in Palo Verde National Park, based on 51 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pectoral Sandpiper in Palo Verde National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Pectoral Sandpiper in Palo Verde National Park in our monthly data.