Sunday, May 19, 2013

Shorebird Identification

In my last post, I showed a picture of a Greater Yellowlegs. Below I have shown you a picture of a similar looking bird to the Lesser Yellowlegs, but it is much smaller. This bird on the left is about the size of a Least Sandpiper, about 6 inches. However, it does not have a slightly downturned or drooped bill as the Least Sandpiper does. It also has yellow legs.
Next to it there is a more rufous bird with a very long bill. There is a blade of grass in the way, but the black bill touches the water, as you can see from the ripples. It looks similar to a Short-billed Dowitcher, but again, is much smaller. This bird is about 6 inches, instead of about 11 inches for the Dowitcher. It's about the size of a Common Redpoll and smaller than an American Robin. Can you identify these birds? Write your thoughts in the comments.

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2 comments:

  1. The bird in the middle is a Long-billed Dowitcher and knowing its no where in the size range of a peep, the bird on the left appears to be a Greater Yellowlegs in my opinion. Hard to say for certain on the bird in the background right.

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  2. These birds are much smaller, as I said above. They are smaller than Robins, and only about 6 inches. There was a Yellowlegs elsewhere in the field, and it is much bigger. This is what makes the ID so difficult.

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