The Ultimate Guide to Identifying Shorebirds in Mississippi is a comprehensive and informative article that aims to help nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers identify the various types of shorebirds found in the state. With around 20 different species featured, this guide provides a valuable resource for those interested in observing the lively and exciting behaviors of these birds, including their mating displays and defense of territory. Identifying shorebirds can be a challenging task due to their similar appearances and migratory nature, but this guide offers a solution with detailed pictures, descriptions, and fun facts for each species. From the Semipalmated Plover, which adapts to various habitats, to the unique feeding style and defensive displays of the Black-necked Stilt, readers will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for these fascinating birds.
Semipalmated Plover
Habitat
Semipalmated Plovers can be found in a variety of habitats, including coastal beaches, mudflats, and even urban areas such as golf courses and airports. They are quite adaptable and can be seen in both freshwater and saltwater environments.
Nesting
These shorebirds typically nest on open ground, such as sandy or gravelly areas. Sometimes, they even choose developed areas, such as parking lots or rooftops with gravel. Their nests are simple scrapes in the ground, lined with pebbles, shells, or bits of vegetation. They usually lay 4 eggs in a clutch and both parents take turns incubating them.
Description
The Semipalmated Plover is a small shorebird, measuring around 6-7 inches in length. It has a brownish upper body with black patches on its forehead and behind its eyes. Its breast and belly are white, and it has orange legs. One distinguishing feature is its partially webbed feet (“semipalmated” means partially webbed). In flight, it displays white wing-bars and a white rump.
Fun Facts
- Semipalmated Plovers have a distinctive call that sounds like “tweet-tweet” and can be heard during their migration or when they feel threatened.
- These plovers are highly migratory, breeding in the Arctic and subarctic regions of North America and traveling as far south as South America for the winter.
- Despite being small, the Semipalmated Plover is an excellent flyer and can cover long distances during migration.
Killdeer
Habitat
Killdeers are commonly found in open, dry habitats such as fields, meadows, and golf courses. They are also known to inhabit coastal areas and occasionally nest on gravel rooftops. These adaptable shorebirds are often seen near water sources, but they prefer areas with exposed ground.
Feeding
These energetic birds primarily feed on small invertebrates, such as insects, worms, and crustaceans. They have a unique feeding behavior called “head-bobbing,” where they quickly jerk their head forward to catch their prey. Killdeers are known for their agility and can be seen running and stopping abruptly as they search for food.
Description
Killdeers are medium-sized shorebirds, measuring around 8-11 inches in length. They have a brown upper body with black patches on their back and wings. Their underparts are white, and they have two distinct black bands around their neck. One of the most recognizable features is their long, black, and white tail, which they flash when they are disturbed or during courtship displays.
Fun Facts
- Killdeers are named after their distinctive call, which sounds like “kill-dee” and is often repeated several times in a row.
- These shorebirds are known for their remarkably realistic “broken-wing” display when they feel threatened. They pretend to have a broken wing, luring potential predators away from their nests or young.
- Killdeers are one of the few shorebird species that can be found year-round in some parts of Mississippi, as they can withstand cooler temperatures.
Black-necked Stilt
Habitat
Black-necked Stilts prefer open habitats with shallow water, such as marshes, lagoons, and flooded fields. They are often seen wading in the water, with their long, thin legs allowing them to navigate through shallow areas with ease. They can also be found along the coast during migration.
Feeding
These elegant shorebirds have a unique feeding style. They use their long legs to search for food in the water, probing the mud or shallow water with their thin, straight bills. They primarily feed on small aquatic invertebrates, such as insects, crustaceans, and small fish.
Unique Features
The Black-necked Stilt is easily recognized by its striking black and white plumage. It has a long, thin black bill and long, pink legs. Its head, neck, and upperparts are black, while the underparts are white. The male and female are similar in appearance, with the male typically having slightly longer legs.
Fun Facts
- Black-necked Stilts are known for their unique defense display, where they will lower their head and point their long bill towards the perceived threat. This behavior is often accompanied by loud calling.
- These stilts are highly territorial, defending their nesting sites and feeding areas from other birds, including larger species.
- Despite their delicate appearance, Black-necked Stilts are excellent flyers and can fly at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.
American Avocet
Habitat
American Avocets can be found in a variety of habitats, including coastal salt marshes, mudflats, and inland saline lakes. They prefer areas with shallow water and exposed mudflats where they can easily find their prey. These shorebirds are commonly seen in the western parts of Mississippi during migration.
Feeding
These unique shorebirds have a feeding behavior known as “scything.” They sweep their long, upturned bills from side to side through the water, searching for small aquatic invertebrates such as insects, crustaceans, and small fish. They are also known to feed by probing the mud with their bills.
Unique Behaviors
One interesting behavior of the American Avocet is its practice of “brood-parasitism.” Sometimes, they lay their eggs in the nests of other avocets or shorebirds, leaving the responsibility of incubation and raising the chicks to the host species. This behavior is believed to increase their reproductive success.
Fun Facts
- American Avocets are known for their elegant and graceful appearance. They have long, thin bills, long legs, and black and white plumage. During breeding season, they also have cinnamon-colored heads and necks.
- These shorebirds have a distinct call that sounds like “klee-yer,” often heard during their breeding displays or when they are alarmed.
- American Avocets are strong migratory birds, traveling long distances between their breeding grounds in the northern United States and Canada to their wintering grounds in Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Greater Yellowlegs
Habitat
Greater Yellowlegs are shorebirds commonly found in wetland habitats, such as marshes, mudflats, and shallow ponds. They prefer areas with open water where they can easily forage for food. These birds can often be seen wading or swimming in the water.
Territoriality
Greater Yellowlegs are highly territorial birds, especially during the breeding season. Males defend their territories by performing aerial displays and calling loudly. They also engage in “foot-stomping,” where they lift one leg and rapidly stomp it on the ground to create vibrations, signaling their presence to other birds.
Description
These shorebirds are medium-sized, measuring around 12-15 inches in length. They have a mottled brownish-gray upper body, a pale belly, and long, yellow legs. Their bills are long and slender, perfect for searching for small fish, insects, and crustaceans in the water.
Fun Facts
- Greater Yellowlegs are skilled hunters and can catch prey by both stabbing it with their sharp bills and by seizing it with their bills while swimming.
- During their migration, these shorebirds can undertake impressive non-stop flights of over 1,500 miles.
- Despite their name, Greater Yellowlegs are not always easy to distinguish from their smaller relative, the Lesser Yellowlegs. However, their larger size and longer bill can help in identification.
Lesser Yellowlegs
Habitat
Lesser Yellowlegs, similar to Greater Yellowlegs, are commonly found in wetland habitats such as marshes, mudflats, and shallow ponds. They also prefer areas with open water for foraging, and they can often be seen wading or swimming in the water.
Territoriality
Like their name suggests, Lesser Yellowlegs are smaller in size compared to Greater Yellowlegs. However, they are more territorial and aggressive during the breeding season. Males defend their territories vigorously by chasing and displaying aggressive behaviors towards intruders.
Description
These shorebirds are medium-sized, measuring around 9-11 inches in length. They have a mottled brownish-gray upper body, a pale belly, and long, yellow legs. Their bills are long and slender, similar to those of Greater Yellowlegs, allowing them to feed on small fish, insects, and crustaceans.
Fun Facts
- Lesser Yellowlegs are excellent mimics and capable of imitating the calls of other shorebird species.
- During migration, these shorebirds can form large flocks with other species, creating impressive gatherings along coastal areas or wetlands.
- Although Lesser Yellowlegs are not commonly found during the winter in Mississippi, they can be seen during their migration as they travel long distances to their breeding or wintering grounds.
Spotted Sandpiper
Hunting Style
The Spotted Sandpiper has a distinctive hunting style compared to other shorebirds. Instead of wading or swimming in the water like many of its relatives, it prefers to walk or run along the shoreline, quickly bobbing its tail up and down as it searches for food. This unique movement earns it the nickname “teeter-tail.”
Courtship Displays
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Spotted Sandpiper is its unique courtship behavior. In a role reversal from many bird species, the female Spotted Sandpiper takes on a more aggressive role. She establishes a territory, performs courtship displays, and may mate with multiple males. After laying the eggs, she leaves the responsibility of incubation and raising the young to the male.
Description
The Spotted Sandpiper is a medium-sized shorebird, measuring around 6-7 inches in length. It has a brownish upper body with black spots, hence its name. Its underparts are white, and it has a distinctive white eye-ring. In flight, it displays white wing-bars and a white tail with black bands.
Fun Facts
- Spotted Sandpipers have a unique vocalization that sounds like a soft, whistled “weet-weet-weet.”
- These shorebirds have a wide distribution throughout North and South America, breeding as far north as the Arctic and traveling as far south as Argentina during migration or wintering periods.
- The Spotted Sandpiper holds the record for the longest known migratory flight of any shorebird, with one individual traveling an impressive 4,000 miles non-stop from Alaska to Hawaii.
Willet
Habitat
Willets can be found in a variety of coastal habitats, including sandy beaches, mudflats, tidal flats, and salt marshes. They rely on these areas for feeding and nesting and are often seen wading or walking along the shoreline.
Threats
One of the major threats to Willets is habitat loss. Coastal development and habitat destruction due to human activities, such as construction and pollution, have impacted their nesting grounds and feeding areas. Additionally, collisions with power lines during migration pose a risk to these shorebirds.
Description
Willets are medium-sized shorebirds, measuring around 14-16 inches in length. They have a mottled brownish-gray upper body with black and white striped wings. Their underparts are white, and they have a long bill, which is gray with a black tip. During flight, their wings display a bold black and white pattern.
Fun Facts
- Willets have a distinctive call that sounds like “pill-will-willet,” often heard during their aerial displays or when they feel threatened.
- These shorebirds are known for their aggressive behavior when defending their territory or young. They will dive-bomb intruders or predators to protect their nests.
- The Willet is named after its loud, piercing whistle, often described as a “wil-li-et” or “wit-wit-wit.”
Ruddy Turnstone
Habitat
Ruddy Turnstones can be found in a variety of habitats, both coastal and inland. During the breeding season, they nest in rocky coastal areas, often on high cliffs or offshore islands. During migration, they can be seen in plowed fields or grassy areas, where they forage for food.
Feeding
These shorebirds have a unique feeding behavior. They are known for flipping over objects, such as rocks, shells, or seaweed, to uncover their prey. They eat a variety of invertebrates, including insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and even small fish. Their strong bills are well-adapted for this type of foraging.
Behavior
Ruddy Turnstones are highly social birds and can often be seen in small flocks. They communicate with each other using a variety of vocalizations, including soft “whit-whit” calls. During migration, they form larger flocks and can be found along the coast or in wetland areas.
Fun Facts
- Ruddy Turnstones have a unique and striking appearance. They have short, stout bills, black and white feathers, and bright orange legs. Breeding adults have a rich chestnut plumage on their head, neck, and breast.
- These shorebirds undertake impressive migrations, traveling thousands of miles from their breeding grounds in the Arctic to their wintering grounds in South America.
- Ruddy Turnstones are known for their agility and ability to navigate rocky surfaces or tidal zones, where they often find their preferred food sources.
Sanderling
Habitat
Sanderlings are primarily coastal birds and can be found on sandy beaches, mudflats, and shorelines. They prefer areas with wave action and can often be seen chasing the waves, quickly running in and out as they search for food.
Foraging Behavior
These energetic shorebirds have a unique foraging behavior. As the waves recede, they quickly run along the water’s edge, probing the sand or exposed areas for small invertebrates such as worms, insects, and tiny crustaceans. They have a distinctive “stop and go” movement as they feed.
Description
Sanderlings are small shorebirds, measuring around 7-8 inches in length. They have a pale grayish-brown upper body and a white underbody. During the breeding season, they develop a reddish-brown plumage on their neck and breast. They have short, black bills and black legs.
Fun Facts
- Sanderlings are highly migratory birds, breeding in the Arctic and traveling long distances to their wintering grounds in South America.
- These shorebirds have a unique way of cooling off in hot weather. They often stand on one leg, with the other leg raised, exposing the pale skin of their underparts to the breeze.
- Sanderlings are known for their stunning flocking behavior when they gather in large numbers along the shore. They move together in synchronized patterns, creating beautiful displays.
