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 Riding Mountain National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Riding Mountain National Park
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Gallinago delicata
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Sanderling
Calidris alba
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
American Woodcock
Scolopax minor
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
Wilson's Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolor
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
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 Riding Mountain National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Sandpiper sighting in Riding Mountain National Park, based on 74 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Spotted Sandpiper in Riding Mountain National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Spotted Sandpiper in Riding Mountain National Park in our monthly data.