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GENUS TRINGA

(5 species). Medium-size to large sandpipers with fairly long, often colorful legs

and overall straight bills; upperparts typically have fine pale spotting or spangling in nonbr. plumages, vs.

paler edging and scaly look typical of Calidris sandpipers. Often bob head or whole body when alarmed

and tend to be fairly wary, flying off with whistled or yelping calls.

SOLITARY SANDPIPER  Tringa solitaria 20.5–21.5cm. Medium-size migrant

sandpiper of freshwater ponds, lake edges, wetlands, not on open mudflats or

beaches. Singles occur at small bodies of water, also small flocks during

migration; does not associate strongly with other shorebirds. Often towers

when flushed; wingbeats deep, quick, and swallow-like. Note dark upperparts,

fairly long greenish legs, dark underwings in flight; cf. Lesser Yellowlegs,

Spotted Sandpiper. SOUNDS: Slightly plaintive piping whistles in short series,

t-swee sweet and teet t-weet t-weet; brighter and flutier than Spotted Sandpiper.

STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common late Jul–early May on both slopes, to

1500m; locally to 3000m, mainly during migration. (Breeds N America,

winters Mexico to S America.)

LESSER YELLOWLEGS  Tringa flavipes 24–25.5cm. Medium-size, long-

legged migrant sandpiper of freshwater and brackish habitats, from lakes and

marshes to salt ponds, coastal lagoons; rarely on open mudflats and beaches.

Locally in flocks. Feeds while walking and wading actively, picking at water

surface; rarely swims. Greater Yellowlegs is larger and stouter-billed, about

willet-size, vs. Lesser, which is about dowitcher-size; Greater also has louder,

‘shouted’ calls vs. mellower calls of Lesser. Cf. Solitary and Stilt Sandpipers.

SOUNDS: Mellow whistled tew or kyew, often in short series suggesting Short-

billed Dowitcher. STATUS:  Fairly common to common Jul–May on Pacific

slope, smaller numbers on Caribbean slope and inland to 1500m; more widespread in migration; a few

oversummer locally. (Breeds N America, winters to S America.)

GREATER YELLOWLEGS  Tringa melanoleuca 29.5–31.5cm. Large, long-

legged migrant sandpiper of varied wetland habitats, from lakes and marshes to

river mouths, salt ponds, coastal lagoons. Usually singles and small groups.

Feeds while walking and wading, often actively dashing after prey and sweeping

bill side-to-side, vs. more sedate picking of Lesser Yellowlegs; rarely swims. Cf.

Willet, Lesser Yellowlegs. SOUNDS: Loud ringing whistle, usually trebled, tchoo-

tchoo-tchoo; repeated sharp tew when agitated. STATUS:  Fairly common to

common Jul–May on both slopes, especially Pacific, locally inland to 1500m;

more widespread in migration; a few oversummer locally. (Breeds N America,

winters to S America.)

*WESTERN WILLET  Tringa [semipalmata] inornata 33–35.5cm. Large, rather

stocky migrant sandpiper of varied coastal habitats, from mudflats, beaches,

and rocky coasts to salt ponds, river mouths, mangroves. Singles and groups

associate readily with other shorebirds; feeds by picking and probing, often in

shallow water. Willets as such are distinctive, but distinguishing the two species

can be challenging (see below, under Eastern): note stout straight bill, whitish

spectacles, gray legs; diagnostic wing pattern striking in flight. Juv. (Aug–Oct)

like nonbr. with narrow, pale-dotted edgings to upperparts. SOUNDS: Noisy.

Varied, mainly 3- or 4-note mellow to loud shrieking whistles, kri-wih-wih and

krri-WI-WI-wihr; nasal inflected kyeh’eh and short series, kyeh-yeh-yeh; alarm a sharp yapping kyih! at

times repeated steadily. STATUS: Fairly common Aug–May on Pacific coast, uncommon on Caribbean

coast; small numbers oversummer locally. (Breeds w. N America, winters to S America.)

*EASTERN WILLET  Tringa semipalmata 32–34.5cm. Very similar to Western Willet, but slightly smaller

and stockier overall, with deeper, blunter bill, shorter legs; breeding plumage averages darker and browner,

with pinkish tinge to bill and legs. SOUNDS: Calls similar to Western, but average higher, less husky.

STATUS: Scarce (overlooked?) late Jan–Mar on both coasts, probably also Aug–Oct. (Breeds e. N America

to Caribbean, winters S America.)