Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Photo Gallery

Breeding adult

A medium-sized shorebird with a rufous cap, prominent white eyeline, thin white eyering, and fairly short, dark bill with pale base. Breeding adult has heavy black spots and chevrons on cinnamon-and-white underparts, rich rufous markings above, and yellowish legs.

Nonbreeding adult

Nonbreeding adult has mostly plain brown upperparts. Note subdued rufous cap bordered by white eyeline.

Juvenile

A medium-sized shorebird with a rufous cap, white eyeline, and relatively short, mostly dark bill. Juvenile has a buffy wash across the breast and a necklace of fine streaks across the upper breast. Often forages in shallow water with short vegetation.

Juvenile

Juvenile has a buffy-cinnamon breast with fine black streaking, a whitish belly, and dark upperparts with extensive bright orange and white feather edges.

Juvenile

By late November, young birds can show a mix of juvenile (rufous cap) and nonbreeding adult characters (brownish-gray upperparts).

Nonbreeding adult

Nonbreeding adults have brown upperparts, a grayish-brown wash across the breast, and limited streaking on the breast and flanks. Note the capped appearance and white eyeline.

Breeding adult

Adults in late summer are less colorful than spring birds, but still retain some breeding-plumage spots and chevrons below.

Nonbreeding adult

Typically occurs in areas with shallow water and short vegetation. Nonbreeding adult has a grayish-brown wash across the breast with faint streaking that extends down the flanks. Note the distinct white eyestripe and dark rufous cap.

Breeding adult

Nests on the ground in areas of wet tundra in the Russian Far East.

Breeding adult

Breeding adult has a rufous cap, yellow legs, heavy spotting on a buffy-washed breast, and thick chevrons that extend down the flanks to the undertail.