Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Birds Loja
Actitis macularius, Andarríos Coleador, Playero Alzacolita. Birds Loja Ecuador. Urban Birds of the Park, Gardens, and Sourrounding areas of the city of Loja – Ecuador. 44 bird species . Illustrated by Pablo Andrade. Work supported by Jan Hinloopen.
18 – 19 cm (7 – 7.5″).
Distribution.
A widespread, often common boreal migrant that can occur along shorelines. Almost anywhere (even along streams in Andes), but is most numerous along coast; very few redords may – july. In the Loja city is this bird can be seen in winter season from octuber to march along the rivers and little ponds around the city.
Description.
Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularius .- Easily recognized by its near-constant teetering. Bill flesh or yellowish tipped blackish, duskier in nonbreeding plumage; legs dull yellowish. Nonbreeding plumage olive brown above with short white superciliary and some wing coverts barring; white below with distinctie gray smudge on sides of chest and white shoulder mark. Breeding plumage birds (seen prior to northward migration in April.) have black spotting (larger and denser in females) below. In flight shows narrow white wingstripe; flies with distinctive shallow and jerky wingbeats below horizontal, inter-spersed with glides on bowed wings.
Habits.
Usually feeds alone, apparently maintaining winter feeding territories though birds often roost together, sometimes in trees such as mangroves. Typical posture more orizontal than in other shorebirds.
In the city of Loja often is seen from september until march sometimes along the rivers malacatos or Zamora. Parque Colinar La Tebaida.
Voice. Most frequent call a loud shrill “peet-weet!,” often given in flight.
Information taken from the book Birds Of Ecuador of Robert Ridgely and Paul Greenfield.