Upland Sandpiper
Upland Sandpipers are an inland species and not frequently found in coastal areas. Preferred habitat consists of short grassy areas for feeding and courtship with occasional taller grasses that can conceal the nest. They are birds of native prairie, dry meadows, pastures, and hayfields, ranging from Alaska through the prairie provinces and Great Plains states into the northeastern United States and the Saint Lawrence River valley of Canada. In the Great Plains, they are fairly common and their numbers have increased in recent decades. In the East, Upland Sandpipers expanded their range as forests were cleared, but in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, market hunting and loss of habitat to agriculture caused precipitous declines. Airfields now provide the majority of suitable habitat in the northeastern United States. Upland Sandpipers continue to decline in the Northeast because of habitat loss and reforestation.
Upland Sandpiper Range Map

The Upland Sandpiper has also been known as the Upland Plover, and, indeed, its relatively short bill and round head reminds one of a plover, and this bird does feed in a ploverlike manner. An Upland Sandpiper will run for short stretches in a curious high-stepping gait, pumping its head and neck back and forth, stopping abruptly to pick up some food item. Unlike other sandpipers that feed by probing in soft mud or sand, Upland Sandpipers locate their food by sight, in the manner of plovers.

Upland Sandpipers are loosely colonial breeders. Nest territories are grouped together adjacent to loafing and feeding areas that are shared communally. The males perform spectacular courtship displays, singing while ascending and soaring in wide circles at great heights. In outline the long wings and tail give Upland Sandpipers a crosslike shape. They fly with shallow fluttering wing beats in the manner of Spotted Sandpipers. When alighting, the wings are often up held momentarily. Utility poles and fence posts are often used as perches from which the males sing. In addition to a breathy "wolf whistle" sounding like whip-whee-ee-you, a rapid, flute-like quip-ip-ip-ip series of alarm notes is given. Winters are spent in the pampas of southeastern South America.

Description: Upland Sandpipers are distinctive medium-sized shorebirds with rather small rounded heads held on long thin necks. The short, thin bill is slightly down-curved and dusky tipped. The long tail protrudes well beyond the folded wings. It has the longest tail of any sandpiper and contributes to the bird's elongated shape.

Adults are mottled brown above, with a dark brown crown. There is a narrow and well-defined median crown stripe. The face and neck are light brown, streaked with black, and the throat is contrasting pale buff. A prominent pale ring surrounds the large eye. The breast and sides are light brown, heavily marked with black chevrons. The rest of the underparts are white. Underparts are pale sandy buff. Tail feathers are barred, dark brown; the outer tail feathers are pale orangish buff at the base and tipped in white. The legs and feet are dull yellow and do not project beyond the tail in flight.

Upland Sandpipers resemble the curlews to which they are apparently closely related, but they lack the curlews' longer, strongly down-curved bills. American Golden-Plovers and Buff-breasted Sandpipers are similar and to some extent share the same habitat requirements. An Upland Sandpiper can be distinguished from an American Golden-Plover by its long neck and small head. Although the bill is short for a sandpiper, the Upland Sandpiper’s bill is longer than any plover’s bill.

Buff-breasted Sandpipers are somewhat similarly plumaged with yellowish legs, but they are much smaller, with a shorter neck and tail. Buff-breasted Sandpipers lack the Upland Sandpiper's heavily marked breast and sides.


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