Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Robust, compact and dark wader, with relatively long and slightly curved bill. Mostly seen in winter at the coast where it prefers rocky surfaces as opposed to most other waders. In winter plumage the base of bill and legs are yellow, and the upperparts grey with dark markings. Breeds in high Arctic and mountains. Summer plumage darker than winter, with brown fringes/spots on back, and darker bill and legs. Similar wing and rump pattern to Dunlin, but appears overall darker. Tail extends beyond wing tips of resting birds. Flight patterns at wintering grounds straight and low.
Sound:Contact call a hoarse and hard "weet". Sometimes in chattering series. Song quite varied with series of short, nasal, vibrating sounds, interspersed with drawn out, slower calls.
Contact call:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSounds:Recorded by Stein Ø. Nilsen,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license
A small, active and quick wader, sharing traits of both Tringa and Calidris type. Most easily identified in the field by it's behaviour and sound. Most distinct plumage feature is the white wedge in front of the wings at the sides of the breast. Body is elongated and legs fairly short and greenish. Constantly bobs body and head. In flight the dark rump and white wing-bars are obvious. Often flickers its wings when flying low above water, especially just before landing.
Sound:Very vocal with characteristic repertoire of very high-pitched calls. Often heard is a disyllabic call, drawn out and slightly rising in pitch in the second part. This is often repeated in a series of rising tones in a cyclic manner, with approx 5 tones in each cycle.
Flight call, song:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC