Baird's Sandpiper

General Description

The Surfbird is a plump shorebird with a short, plover-like bill, gray above and orange below. Its gray wings show prominent, white wing-stripes in flight. The tail has a white base with a black subterminal band. In breeding plumage, the Surfbird has salmon-colored patches on its wings. These fade considerably during the breeding season, and may be peach or almost white by the time the birds return to Washington in the fall. Birds in breeding plumage are covered with a wash of dark spots, giving them an overall speckled appearance. The juvenile is gray with white-edged feathers and a breast flecked with white. The adult in non-breeding plumage is also gray, but lacks the white-edged feathers and has no streaks on its breast.

Baird's Sandpiper's are Uncommon in Western Washington from August,September.

Habitat

During migration, Baird's Sandpipers can be found along sandy shores and sometimes mudflats. 

Behavior

Baird's Sandpipers are generally found individually or in small flocks. Flock size can be greater mid-continent where they are more common. Baird's Sandpipers typically forage along the upper edge of mudflats, or up on sandy beaches, often in vegetation. They will sometimes forage in the water, but not regularly. Birds in the mountains will feed on snow banks. They move quickly with heads up, picking up surface prey.