# What kind of shorebird is this? \[pics are in flight only\]
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-shorebird-is-this-pics-are-in-flight-only/473034
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 16, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-shorebird-is-this-pics-are-in-flight-only/473034 "2008-11-16T20:57:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-shorebird-is-this-pics-are-in-flight-only/473034/1 "2008-11-16T20:57:30Z")
I was walking along a rocky, craggy shore this afternoon and saw these really small shorebirds. Before I could get a good shot off of them on the rocks they took flight. So, [here](http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/Phlosphr/shorebird.jpg)they [are](http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/Phlosphr/shorebird2.jpg). Any idea what kind of bird they are? I’m thinking Plover, but might be wrong. They are really dark.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-shorebird-is-this-pics-are-in-flight-only/473034/2 "2008-11-16T21:14:50Z")
They appear to be Rock Sandpipers.
What coast are you on? Purple Sandpiper is very similar, but is exclusively on the Atlantic coast. I am going by the comparative paleness of the outer tail feathers to guess these are Rock rather than Purple.
It always helps to state location in an ID thread.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-shorebird-is-this-pics-are-in-flight-only/473034/3 "2008-11-16T21:22:37Z")
Here’s a [Rock Sandpiper](http://i.pbase.com/o3/58/287858/1/87788233.gopR3maN.070627RockSandpiper6343.jpg) in flight, showing the wing and tail pattern. Note that this bird is in breeding plumage, while yours are in winter plumage.
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### Author:  [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-shorebird-is-this-pics-are-in-flight-only/473034/4 "2008-11-16T21:27:26Z")
I was at Sachuest Point National Wildelife Refuge, just north of Newport, Rhode Island. It was a beautiful day! And there were a lot of birds coming through. I followed a group of hooded Mergansers, but I didn’t get a pic of them.
Rock Sandpiper. That looks about right, so they are in winter plumage already…
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-shorebird-is-this-pics-are-in-flight-only/473034/5 "2008-11-16T21:39:54Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#):
>
> I was at Sachuest Point National Wildelife Refuge, just north of Newport, Rhode Island. It was a beautiful day! And there were a lot of birds coming through. I followed a group of hooded Mergansers, but I didn’t get a pic of them.
> Rock Sandpiper. That looks about right, so they are in winter plumage already..
If they are on the east coast, then they are Purple Sandpipers. The two species are virtually identical in some plumages, especially in winter, but don’t occur together, Rock being found on the west coast. I was going on a slight difference in tail pattern, but it’s not all that distinct.
They have similar habits, being found on rocky shores.