Maybe the hardest of the LBBs to
identify, for those of us who are not
full-time ornithologists, are members of
the sandpiper family (Calidris). Fifteen
different sandpipers are named in The
Sibley Guide to Birds, and truth be told
there are other Calidris family members
like the red knot, dunlin, or sanderling
that carry other common names but still
belong to the sandpiper family. The three
small sandpipers that we want to address
in our group of Little Brown Birds are
the western sandpiper, semipalmated
sandpiper, and least sandpiper.
The easiest to identify is probably
the least sandpiper (top right). It is the
smallest by a quarter-to-half an inch
and the only one of the three with
conspicuously yellow legs. Western
and semipalmated sandpipers are very
difficult to differentiate. Both are most
commonly seen on Kiawah in the
spring and fall—not as commonly in
the summer. Western sandpipers have a
slightly longer beak, and their plumage
is a bit more brightly colored. At the
right they are shown side by side. On
the left is the semipalmated sandpiper,
and on the right is the Western.
Here to finish off the list of the LBBs
I promised to review is the ruddy
turnstone. Of all the little brown birds,
the ruddy turnstone is probably the
easiest to identify. His bold pattern of
markings on the body and wings is
distinctive and unmistakable. He has a
white breast, orange legs, and a pair of
prominent dark circular markings on
his neck and upper breast. They tend
to be found alone or in a flock of other
birds. and they spend a good deal of the
time on beaches across the United States
and Canada with breeding areas in the
Arctic. The ruddy turnstone in breeding
plumage and nonbreeding plumage are
shown at the right.
So now that you know all of Kiawah’s
LBBs by name, you should never need
to use the term “little brown birds” to
refer to them again! NK
SUMMER/FALL 2017 • VOLUME 38
Least sandpiper.
Semipalmated sandpiper.
Ruddy turnstone in breeding plumage.
Western sandpiper.
Ruddy turnstone, nonbreeding.
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