Identifying Shorebirds in Indiana
By Ryan Sanderson
Shorebirds are a diverse group of birds beloved by Hoosier birders, from the shores of Lake Michigan to the bottoms of Gibson County. Some species are gaudy and unmistakable like American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts, while others like Baird’s and White-rumped Sandpiper show a more reserved beauty with intricate patterns of tans, browns, blacks, grays, and whites. Migrating large shorebirds like Willets, Whimbrels, and Marbled Godwits flying past Lake Michigan hotspots in late summer and fall are an infrequent, but thrilling, treat.
Various peeps- smaller sandpipers like Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers- as well as Pectoral Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and Semipalmated Plovers are some of the most common species encountered at springtime “fluddles”- temporary puddles formed by heavy rains or floodwaters throughout agricultural lands. Killdeer are present in much of our state year-round, in fluddles, beaches, fields and… parking lots! Other favorites include Upland Sandpipers and American Golden-Plovers (sometimes affectionately referred to as “grasspipers”) seen yearly at specific locations like the open grassy areas of airports and military bases, and Buff-breasted Sandpipers which are frequently encountered at sod farms during fall migration. Perhaps the most exciting experience with shorebirds is, after scanning through flocks, finding a rarity like a Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, or Black-tailed Godwit!
For those new to identification of shorebirds, a brown bird whose identity is not known can lead to identification challenges. Taking a systematic approach to identification can help demystify this process. When looking at shorebirds, a general first step would be to look at the general size of the bird: is it a large shorebird around the size of a crow? Is it a medium-sized bird around the size of a robin? Or is it very small, around the size of a chickadee? After a general size is determined, one can also evaluate the bill: is the bill the same shape as a typical sandpiper bill? Is it short and “stubby” like one might see in a typical plover? Is the bill long and thin like an American Avocet’s?
Once you can narrow the bird down to a general category like “medium sandpiper” or “small plover,” then individual traits pertinent to that group of shorebirds can be used to determine the species. Suppose it’s early May and you’re checking out shorebirds at fluddles near Indianapolis Regional Airport in Hancock County. You are looking at a mystery shorebird. You see the bird is small and has a bill typical of a plover. You start looking at some specific features that help distinguish one species of shorebird from another.
What color are the legs? What color are the upper parts of the bird? Does it have an eyering? If so, what color? Are there any particularly distinct markings on the bird that may help distinguish one species from another? As you look at the bird, you notice that it has yellowish legs, a dark brown back, a white chest, and a short bill which is mostly black with a bit of yellowish-orange at the base. There is also a small yellow eyering and a black band around the neck. You study these points and set them to memory, perhaps write them down, or maybe take a photo for later reference.
As you open your field guide to ID your bird, you find the section with small plovers and notice that the range maps show that two of these birds are seen in Indiana- Semipalmated Plover and Piping Plover, the Piping seen just rarely. Snowy Plover and Wilson’s Plover are not typically seen in Indiana, so we can generally rule these out (although birds have wings and can fly wherever they want!).
You look at the field guide and note the things you saw in the field. As you’re trying to determine if your bird is a Semipalmated Plover or a Piping Plover, you read yellow legs are common to both species. There are several differences between the two species mentioned, and these differences happen to be things you saw in the field.
You realize the bird described is a Semipalmated Plover, the most common small plover in our state (Killdeer arguably being in a “medium plover” category by itself). The Semipalmated Plover has darker upper parts than the Piping Plover, a distinct dark breastband, and some yellowish-orange color on the base of the bill, while the Piping Plover is likely to have light grayish-brown upper parts, a non-distinct breastband, and a bill that is nearly completely black.
As birders spend increasing amounts of time observing shorebirds, their identification often comes more rapidly with all of these features being instantly recognized to identify a Least Sandpiper versus a Semipalmated Sandpiper (yes, it can be done!). Sometimes the identification is made based on a feel for the structure of the bird. For example, White-rumped Sandpipers and Baird’s Sandpipers are sandpipers capable of extremely long migrations. As such, they are built for long flights and have very long wings which extend well past the end of their tails when their wings are folded. As we contrast this with relatively short migrants like Least Sandpipers, we can see that their overall structure is different with shorter-distance migrants having wings that end at, or just before, the end of the tail when wings are folded. Birders who have spent time with these species often pick up the size and shape of these birds instantly in order to make a correct identification.
Shorebirds are a varied group of birds that excite many birders, but the nitty gritty of species identification also scares many new and intermediate birders. Time spent in the field with these birds as well as time spent studying the specifics of the trickier identifications can help birders become familiar with this varied group of birds and become confident in identifying those difficult species groups. If you haven’t yet, hopefully you’ll give shorebirding a try!
*Bonus tip: Leg color can be very important in making an identification; however, the legs can frequently
become covered in mud and appear black when they are actually yellow (frequently seen in Least
Sandpipers!).
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“With black and white bodies that sit atop long pink legs, Black-necked Stilts are a unique-looking Indiana visiting shorebird.”
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“Willets are a large shorebird that occasionally show up at Indianapolis area mudflats. Note the thicker, wider bill”
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“Long-distance migrants like this Baird’s Sandpiper may look like your typical sandpiper, but pay attention for wingtips that extend beyond the tail feathers”.
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“Semipalmated Plovers like the ones pictured are small round shorebirds with stubby bills. Unlike less common Piping Plovers, these birds have dark brown plumage.”