In the meantime, let’s talk about a few of the common shorebirds around Yellowknife. You’ve seen them wandering around on their long legs in the shallows, beak buried in the mud. They are all some shade of brown on the back with a whitish tummy. I can’t really tell them apart from each other any easier than I used to be able to identify sparrows from each other. At least now I can tell shorebirds from sparrows which is something.
We’ll start with the easy ones!
The best way to narrow down a shorebird ID is by checking a map to see what birds are likely to be in your area. After that, estimate their size. The smallest ones are small – just a bit larger than a sparrow. These are Least Sandpipers; they are the least big!
Spotted sandpipers are spotted when they are breeding but not spotted when they are young or not breeding. Their notorious boogie butt will be a dead giveaway though!
Lesser Yellowlegs are common shorebirds around Yellowknife. They have long yellow legs. Imagine. See, this isn’t so hard now is it?
The Short-billed Dowitcher is a bit of a rarity around Yellowknife. It is the same size as a lesser yellowlegs but has a rusty coloured chest and a more vibrant pattern to its back and wing feathers. It moves its head up and down in a motion similar to a sewing machine.
So this week we identified a few shorebirds that could be visiting a shoreline near you. Thanks for stopping in and have a great week!