Kiawah’s Shorebirds by the Month
Royal Tern
Semipalmated Plover
Description Description Description
Medium seabird. Light gray above,
white below with a black crest on head.
Long and pointed orange bill. Small to medium shorebird. Light gray
above, white below in winter. Short
straight black bill and black legs. Status Status Small shorebird. Dark brown above,
white below with a single dark breast
band. Orange bill with dark tip. Orange
legs.
Migratory. Common summer and fall. Migratory. Common in winter and
during migration.
Habitat
Habitat
Beach, ocean.
Colonial nester. Nests in huge numbers
on some protected ocean islands.
July
American Oystercatcher
Black Skimmer
Dunlin
Least Tern
Piping Plover
Red Knot
Royal Tern
Sanderling
Semipalmated Plover
Whimbrel
Willet
Wilson’s Plover
Sanderlings are often found feeding
along the edge of the surf running back
and forth with the waves.
American Oystercatcher
Black Skimmer
Dunlin
Least Tern
Piping Plover
Red Knot
Royal Tern
Sanderling
Semipalmated Plover
Whimbrel
Willet
Wilson’s Plover
Migratory. Common winter, spring, and
fall. Uncommon in summer.
Beach and mudflats.
Fun Fact
August
Uncommon
Uncommon
Rare
Common
Uncommon
Not found
Common
Rare
Rare
Uncommon
Uncommon
Common
Status
Habitat
Beach and mudflats.
Fun Fact
44
Sanderling
Uncommon
Uncommon
Uncommon
Uncommon
Uncommon
Not found
Abundant
Uncommon
Uncommon
Uncommon
Uncommon
Uncommon
Fun Fact
Feeds on wet sand picking invertabrates
from the surface or just below the
surface.
September
American Oystercatcher
Black Skimmer
Dunlin
Least Tern
Piping Plover
Red Knot
Royal Tern
Sanderling
Semipalmated Plover
Whimbrel
Willet
Wilson’s Plover
Uncommon
Common
Uncommon
Not found
Uncommon
Rare
Abundant
Common
Uncommon
Uncommon
Common
Uncommon
Naturally Kiawah