List and Photo Gallery of North American Birds from Condor to Shorebirds by Armas Hill

PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-888-721-3555
or 302/529-1876

Website: www.focusonnature.com

The Birds of
North America

Condor to Shorebirds

Part 2 of a List
and Photo Gallery of
North American Birds
compiled by Armas Hill

Noting those found during Focus On Nature Tours in Alaska, Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Nebraska, Newfoundland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Washington State, & Wyoming, including offshore pelagic trips

Birds found during FONT tours & pelagic trips in North America, north of the Rio Grande, have an (*).

PHOTO AT UPPER RIGHT: A CALIFORNIA CONDOR during the FONT tour in northern Arizona in August 2010
(photo by Marie Gardner)

CODES:

In the list that follows, birds found during FONT tours are noted, indicating the US state or Canadian province & the months when found.

(The codes below relate to the United States unless indicated otherwise.)

AK:    Alaska
AZ:    Arizona
BC:    British Columbia, Canada (until 2001, during our West Coast Tours in September)
CA:    California (during our September West Coast Tours)
CO:    Colorado
DE:    Delaware (including offshore pelagic trips from DE and Delmarva land-birding and nature tours)
FL:     Florida
IA:     Iowa (with our Nebraska Tours in March)
KS:    Kansas (with our Colorado Tours in April)
MD:    Maryland (Delmarva tours)
NC:    North Carolina (including offshore pelagic trips and spring & summer land-birding tours)
NE:    Nebraska (tours in March & with our Colorado tours in April)
NF:    Newfoundland, Canada
NM:   New Mexico (with our West Texas Tours in the spring & our Arizona Tours in the late-summer)
OK:   Oklahoma (with our Colorado Tours in April)
TX:    Texas
VA:    Virginia (Delmarva tours and in conjunction with the NC Tour in the spring)
WA:   Washington State (during our September West Coast Tours)
WY:   Wyoming (with our Colorado Tours in April)

During FONT pelagic trips:

DEP:    offshore from Delaware
CAP:    offshore from California
NCP:    offshore from North Carolina
NJP:    offshore from New Jersey
WAP:   offshore from Washington State

The months when the birds have been found are with the above codes.

(ac):        north of the Arctic Circle
(DT):       in the area of the Dry Tortugas islands in Florida
(PI):        at the Pribilof Islands in Alaska

(USe):          endemic to the USA
(USqe):        quasi (or nearly) endemic to the USA
(USeb):        endemic-breeder in USA
(USneb):      near-endemic breeder in the USA
(NAi):           species introduced into North America
(NAri):          re-introduced species
(r/NA):          rare in North America
(r/US):          rare in the USA

(t): a globally threatened or rare species, designated by Birdlife International
(t1): critical   (t2): endangered   (t3): vulnerable
(nt): a near-threatened species globally

(ph): species with a photo in the FONT web-site

Links to Bird Groupings in this part of this List:

Condor & Vultures Caracara & Falcons Osprey & Kites Fish Eagles Harrier Accipiters

Hawks (Buteos & allies) Golden Eagle Rails & Allies Cranes Limpkin

SHOREBIRDS Plovers (& Lapwing) Oystercatchers Stilts & Avocet Jacana

Yellowlegs (& other Tringa species) Tattlers Curlews Godwits Turnstones & Surfbird

Calidris sandpipers Dowitchers Snipes & Woodcocks Phalaropes

Links to Other Parts of this North American Bird List:

Part #1: Grouse to Anhinga Part #3: Jaegers to Cuckoos Part #4: Owls to Flycatchers

Part #5: Shrikes to Pipits Part #6: Olive Warbler to Buntings

Birds during FONT Tours in:

Alaska Arizona California Colorado Delaware, Maryland, Virginia (Delmarva Peninsula)

North Carolina Texas Washington State

Links to Lists & Photo Galleries of Other Nature, including North American:

Mammals Butterflies, Dragonflies Amphibians, Reptiles Marine Life, inc Fish, Crustaceans

Links to Information about Upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours:

in North America by month in: 2015 2016 or: by geographic location

Other Links:

Directory of Photos in this Website

A Photo Gallery of Birds that would be Rare In North America

List of Birds:

CONDOR and VULTURES

California Condor (t1) (*) (ph) ______ AZ:aug
Gymnogyps californianus (monotypic)

The above photograph, taken in California in 1981,
is of one of the last California Condors in the wild.
(photo by Armas Hill)

A California Condor & Northern Raven photographed in September 2009 in Arizona
(photo by Doris Potter)

By 1982, only 22 free-ranging California Condors remained in California. The above upper photograph was taken of one of those birds in late 1981.
By 1986, only 1 female and 4 male condors roamed free. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service sanctioned capturing those birds and adding them to the captive breeding population. The last one was captured in April 1987,

In 1992, 63 condors existed in captivity. A few were released that year into the wild. 8 young birds were returned to California, but within a couple years, half had perished from collisions with power lines, shooting, or poisoning.
In the fall of 1996, 6 young condors were taken to a holding pen atop Vermilion Cliffs near Page, Arizona. After several weeks of feeding them stillborn calf carcasses, they were released.
From their release site, they wandered through the Monument Valley and Grand Canyon in northern Arizona, Bryce Canyon in Utah, Mesa Verde in Colorado, and as far north as Flaming Gorge in southwestern Wyoming.
Condor releases have continued about annually in northern Arizona.

In 2003, the Arizona condor population produced its first wild offspring in the Grand Canyon. A number of the birds, in that area, during the summer of 2006 traveled north to Utah to reside in hills near Zion National Park, but in the winter they returned to Arizona, where food was always available for them..
By March 2009, the number of wild-living condors in Arizona and southern Utah reached 75. In May of that year, the Peregrine Fund reported on its website that there were 358 California Condors. 189 of them were wild birds in California, Arizona, and elsewhere in the US, and in Baja California in Mexico. 169 of them were in captivity, including those in zoos, maintained for breeding purposes, or pending release.
Black Vulture (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug DE:mar,apr,may FL:apr MD:apr NC:may,jun,aug TX:mar,apr,may VA:mar
Coragyps atratus (monotypic)

South of the US, the Black Vulture has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela.

Black Vulture
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Turkey Vulture (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:mar,apr,may IA:mar KS:apr MD:apr NC:may,jun,jul,aug NE:mar,apr NM:apr,jul,aug TX:mar,apr,may VA: mar WA:sep WY:apr
Cathartes aura

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Cathartes aura aura ______ subspecies from southern Canada to Costa Rica, and in Cuba
Cathartes aura septentrionalis ______ subspecies in eastern North America

The Turkey Vulture was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the Turkey Vulture has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama (with huge numbers in migration in October), Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Above: a young Turkey Vulture with a black head
Below: an even younger Turkey Vulture chick, 10-days old (or 10-days young)
(upper photo by Howard Eskin; lower photo by Alan Brady)

A Turkey Vulture chick, 10-days old (or 10-days young)
(photo by Alan Brady)

CARACARA and FALCONS
Northern Crested Caracara (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul TX:mar,may
Caracara cheriwayi (now monotypic)

South of the US, the Northern Crested Caracara has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Brazil (north of the Amazon), Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela.

A Northern Crested Caracara photographed in Texas
(photo by Rhett Poppe)
Collared Forest Falcon ______ (r/US)
Micrastur semitorquatus

A species normally occurring from northeastern and northwestern Mexico south through much of South America.
A light-morph adult was present in South Texas, at the Bentson-Rio Grande Valley State Park, from January 22 to February 24, 1994.

South of the US, the Collared Forest Falcon has been seen during FONT tours in Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela.
American Kestrel (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:mar,apr,may IA:mar FL:apr KS:apr NC:may,jun,aug,sep NE:mar,apr OK:apr TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep WY:apr
Falco sparverius

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO & THE WEST INDIES:
Falco sparverius paulus ______ subspecies in the southeastern US
Falco sparverius sparverius ______ subspecies in Alaska, Canada, the US, and western Mexico, with some wintering south to Panama

There are 15 other subspecies of Falco sparverius south of the United States.

The American Kestrel was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the American Kestrel has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.

Above & below: American Kestrels
(photos by Howard Eskin)
Merlin (*) (ph) ______ AK:jun AZ:aug BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr DE:may FL:apr (DT) NC:may,sep TX:mar,apr WA:sep WY:apr
Falco columbarius

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Falco columbarius columbarius ______ widespread subspecies from Alaska to Newfoundland and in the northern US to the southern US, the West Indies, and northern South America
Falco columbarius richardsoni ______ subspecies on the Great Plains, migrating south to the central US & northern Mexico
Falco columbarius suckleyi ______ subspecies from southeastern Alaska to the northwestern US

The darkest of all of the races of the Merlin, F. c. suckleyi (noted above), is the "Black Merlin", occurring in coastal Washington State & British Columbia.

The Merlin was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Merlin has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland, Japan, Sweden, and south of the US in Belize, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.

A Merlin in flight
Aplomado Falcon (ri) (r/US) (*) (ph) ______ TX:mar,may
Falco femoralis

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO:
Falco femoralis septentrionalis ______ subspecies historically in the southwestern US; also in Mexico

This species ranges in parts of Mexico and Central America, and more so in South America. It formerly occurred in open grasslands and deserts from south Texas west to southeast Arizona, disappearing from that northern part of its range by the early 20th Century.
Some birds reported reported in New Mexico and west Texas in the 1990s may have been wanderers from a small extant population in the northern part of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. A reintroduction program has been underway in south coastal Texas.

South of the US, the Aplomado Falcon has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica (where rare), Ecuador, Venezuela.

An Aplomado Falcon photographed during a FONT tour in 2013
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Peregrine Falcon (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:aug BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr FLapr (DT) NC:may,sep TX:apr WA:sep
Falco peregrinus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Falco peregrinus anatum ______ subspecies from the Aleutians and coastal Alaska to Washington State, migrating to Central America
Falco peregrinus pealei ______ subspecies in the Commander and Aleutian Islands, southern Alaska, and southwestern Canada, with some migrating to the western US and others south to Japan
Falco peregrinus tundrius ______ subspecies from northern Alaska to Greenland, migrating to South America (subspecies described in 1968)

There are 13 other subspecies of Falco peregrinus elsewhere in the world.

Outside North America, the Peregrine Falcon has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Japan, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, and south of the US in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.

A set of photographs of a Peregrine Falcon in flight
(photos by Howard Eskin)
Prairie Falcon (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jan,aug CA:sep CO:apr,jul KS:apr WA:sep
Falco mexicanus (monotypic)

South of the US, the Prairie Falcon has been seen during a FONT tour in Mexico (Sonora).

Prairie Falcon
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Gyrfalcon (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun
Falco rusticolus (monotypic)

The Gyrfalcon was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Gyrfalcon has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland, Japan.

A black-and-white photo of a dark Gyrfalcon in flight
(photo by Alan Brady)
Eurasian Kestrel ______ (r/NA)
Falco tinnunculus

A widespread Old World species, where there are 12 subspecies. In North America, it is rare in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and elsewhere in the Bering Sea region. There are records of it as a vagrant in eastern North America in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada, and in New Jersey & Florida in the US. On the North American West Coast, it has occurred as a vagrant as far south as Washington State.

The Euasian Kestrel was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Eurasian Kestrel has been seen during FONT tours in Andorra, Bulgaria, the Canary Islands, France, Hungary, Iceland (where rare), Japan, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey..
Northern Hobby ______ (r/NA)
Falco subbuteo

An Old World species. It occurs rarely in the late spring and summer in the Bering Sea region and in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska. There is a record of an October occurrence at Seattle, Washington.
Off eastern North America, a notable record is of a bird on a ship off Newfoundland.

The Northern, or Eurasian Hobby was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Northern Hobby has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey. .
Red-footed Falcon ______ (r/US)
Falco verspertinus

A species that breeds in eastern Europe & western Asia, wintering in southern Africa. A first-summer male was on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, August 8-24, 2004. How that bird got there is an interesting question.

The Red-footed Falcon was described by Linnaeus in 1766.

Outside North America, the Red-footed Falcon has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Turkey.

OSPREY and KITES
Osprey (*) (ph) ______ AK:jun AZ:aug BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr DE:apr,may FL:apr MD:apr NC:may,jun,jul,aug NF:jul TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep
Pandion haliaetus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Pandion haliaetus carolinensis ______ subspecies in North America, migrating as far as central South America

The Osprey was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Osprey has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and south of the US in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.

Osprey
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Hook-billed Kite ______ (r/US)
Chondrohierax uncinatus

SUBSPECIES THAT HAS OCCURRED IN NORTH AMERICA:
Chondrohierax uncinatus uncinatus ______ subspecies from Mexico to Argentina

The Hook-billed Kite is a Neotropical species, ranging from Mexico to South America. It is uncommon in much of its range. In North America, it occurs, as a rare resident, in south Texas in the lower Rio Grande Valley, from the Santa Ana Refuge to the Falcon Dam. It is found in dense woodlands, above which it can be seen riding the thermals upward in the late morning.

South of the US, the Hook-billed Kite has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama.
Swallow-tailed Kite (*) (ph) ______ FL:apr
Elanoides forficatus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Elanoides forficatus forficatus ______ subspecies from the southern US to South America

The Swallow-tailed Kite was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the Swallow-tailed Kite has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela.

Swallow-tailed Kite
(photo by Howard Eskin)
White-tailed Kite (*) (ph) ______ AZ:aug,sep CA:sep NM:aug TX:may
Elanus leucurus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Elanus leucurus majusculus ______ subspecies in the southern US and Mexico

South of the US, the White-tailed Kite has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela.

A White-tailed Kite in flight
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Mississippi Kite (*) ______ AZ:jul,aug NC:may,jun TX:may
Ictinia mississippiensis (monotypic)

In most field guides to birds, maps have shown the geographic range of the Mississippi Kite in the summer to be in the south-central and southeastern US, north to North Carolina and just reaching Virginia.
However, in recent years, occurrences of Mississippi Kites have become commonplace further north, to places in the northeastern US, such as New Jersey and New York.
Most interesting is the story of Mississippi Kites in the summer in eastern New Hampshire, in the small town of Newfield. In June 2008, 3 birds were there, adults, male and female, and a juvenile female.
Each summer since, as of 2015, Mississippi Kites have been, and nested, in Newfield, New Hampshire.

South of the US, the Mississippi Kite has been seen during FONT tours in Guatemala (in migration).
Snail Kite (*) (ph) ______ FL:apr
Rostrhamus sociabilis

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO & THE WEST INDIES:
Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus Everglades Kite ______ subspecies in Florida

South of the US, the Snail Kite has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, Venezuela.

A Snail Kite photographed during a FONT tour
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Double-toothed Kite ______ (r/US)
Harpagus bidentatus

SUBSPECIES THAT HAS OCCURRED IN NORTH AMERICA:
Harpagus bidentatus fasciatus ______ subspecies from Mexico to Ecuador

A Neotropical species ranging from Mexico to South America. One was photographed at High Island, Texas in May 2011, but it was identified until several weeks later.

South of the US. the Double-toothed Kite has been seen during FONT tours in Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela.

FISH EAGLES
Bald Eagle (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:aug BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:mar,apr,may FL:apr IA:mar MD:apr NC:may NE:mar,apr NF:jul TX:may WA:sep WY:apr
Haliaeetus leucocephalus

SUBSPECIES:
Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus ______ subspecies from the southern US to northwestern Mexico
Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensis ______ subspecies in Alaska, Canada, the northern US

The Bald Eagle was described by Linnaeus in 1766.

Bald Eagles
Above: Adults at a nest (photo by Paul West)
Below: Two immature birds in flight (photo by Kim Steininger)
White-tailed Eagle (nt) (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Haliaeetus albicilla

An Old World species, ranging across the Palearctic region from Iceland to eastern Siberia. West of that, it occurs in Greenland. Near the eastern edge of its range, it occurs rarely on western Aleutian Islands, Alaska. On the westernmost of them, Attu, it has nested.

Haliaeetus albicilla is monotypic, aside from Haliaeetus a. greenlandicus in Greenland.

Outside North America, the White-tailed Eagle has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan (mostly in Hokkaido), Poland.
Steller's Sea Eagle (t3) (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Haliaeetus pelagicus (now monotypic)

An east Asian species, with an estimated total population of less than 5,000 birds. It has occurred rarely in Alaska: in the Aleutian Islands, the Pribilof Islands, Kodiak Island, and near Juneau in southeastern Alaska.

Outside North America, the Steller's Sea Eagle has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, mostly in Hokkaido, where during the winter it is often locally plentiful.

For more regarding the STELLER'S SEA EAGLE, go to: Rare Birds of Japan

HARRIER
Northern Harrier (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:jan,jul,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:mar,apr,may FL:apr IA:mar KS:apr NC:may,aug NE:mar TX:mar,apr,may VA:mar WA:sep WY:apr
Circus hudsonius (monotypic)

The Northern Harrier has been considered conspecific with the Hen Harrier of Eurasia, Circus cyaneus.

The Northern Harrier, as well as the Hen Harrier, were described by Linnaeus in 1766.

South of the US, the Northern Harrier has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico.

Northern Harriers
Two photographs - a female above, and a male below.
(photos by Kim Steininger)

ACCIPITERS
Sharp-shinned Hawk (ph) ______ AK:jun BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr DE:mar,may FL:apr KS:apr WA:sep
Accipiter striatus

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO & THE WEST INDIES:
Accipiter striatus perobscurus ______ subspecies from Queen Charlotte Island in Canada south to Oregon
Accipiter striatus velox ______ subspecies in Canada and the US, with some migrating as far south as Central America

South of the US, the Sharp-shinned Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, the Dominican Republic (an endemic subspecies), Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico (an endemic resident subspecies).

Sharp-shinned Hawk
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Cooper's Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jan,jul,aug BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:mar,may KS:apr NE:mar,apr TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep WY:apr
Accipiter cooperi (monotypic)

South of the US, the Cooper's Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico.

Cooper's Hawk
(photo by Frank Stermitz)
Northern Goshawk (*) ______ AK:may,jun AZ:jul,aug CO:apr,jul WA:sep
Accipiter gentilis

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Accipiter gentilis apache ______ subspecies in the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico
Accipiter gentilis atricaapillus ______ subspecies in North America, other than the other 2 here
Accipiter gentilis laingi ______ subspecies in southwestern Canada, on British Colombia islands

Outside North America, the Northern Goshawk has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and south of the US in Mexico.

HAWKS
Crane Hawk (ph) ______ (r/US)
Geranospiza caerulescens (the single member of its genus)

A species normally occurring from northeastern and northwestern Mexico south through much of South America.
One wintered in southern Texas, at the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, from December 20, 1987 to April 9, 1988.

South of the US, the Crane Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela.
Gray Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug TX:may
Buteo plagiatus

The Gray Hawk was conspecific with the Gray-lined Hawk, Buteo nitidus, of southern Central America and South America.
The range of the Gray Hawk is from Arizona and Texas south to Costa Rica.

South of the US, the Gray-lined, or Gray, Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela.

An immature Gray Hawk
(photo by Danny Leon Cordero)
Common Black Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug TX:apr
Buteogallus anthracinus

South of the US, the Common Black Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Saint Lucia (where rare), Saint Vincent, Venezuela.
In the Caribbean, also called "Black Crab Hawk".

The Cuban Black Hawk, Buteogallus gundlachii, also known as the "Cuban Crab Hawk" occurred in Georgia on April 8, 2009, but there was a question as to the bird's origin.
The Cuban Black Hawk has been split from the Common Black Hawk.

An adult Common Black Hawk
(photo by Dick Tipton)
Harris's Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jan,jul,aug TX:apr,may
Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi

South of the US, the Harris's, or Bay-winged, Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela.

Another name for Parabuteo unicinctus is the Bay-winged Hawk.
Red-shouldered Hawk (*) (ph) ______ CA:sep DE:may FL:apr NC:aug TX:mar,may
Buteo lineatus

Above: a Red-shouldered Hawk photographed in Texas
(photo by Rhett Poppe)
Below: a Red-shouldered Hawk in flight
(photo by Doris Potter)
Broad-winged Hawk (*) (ph) ______ CO:apr (r/CO) FL:apr NM:apr
Buteo p. platypterus

South of the US, the Broad-winged Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico (an endemic resident subspecies), Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent.
In addition to the endemic resident subspecies on Puerto Rico, there are 4 other endemic resident subspecies on Caribbean islands.

Broad-winged Hawk
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Swainson's Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug,sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul KS:apr NE:apr NM:apr,jul OK:apr TX:apr,may WA:sep WY:apr
Buteo swainsoni (monotypic, but with light and dark morphs)

South of the US, the Swainson's Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico (including Sonora), Panama.

Above & below: Two photos of an intermediate morph
juvenile Swainson's Hawk
(photos by Howard Eskin)
Short-tailed Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,sep FL:apr
Buteo brachyurus

South of the US, the Short-tailed Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela.

A dark-morph Short-tailed Hawk photographed during a FONT tour
White-tailed Hawk (*) (ph) ______ TX:mar,apr,may
Geranoaetus albicaudatus (formerly Buteo albicaudatus)

South of the US, the White-tailed Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela.

A White-tailed Hawk photographed during a FONT tour
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Zone-tailed Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug
Buteo albonotatus

South of the US, the Zone-tailed Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (in Sonora), Venezuela.

A Zone-tailed Hawk photographed during a FONT tour
Red-tailed Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:mar,apr,may IA:mar KS:apr MD:apr NC:may,jun,jul,aug NE:mar,apr NM:apr OK:apr TX:mar,apr,may VA:mar WA:sep WY:apr
Buteo jamaicensis

South of the US, the Red-tailed Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico.
The endemic resident subspecies of the Caribbean islands is the nominate, B. j. jamaicensis.

"Harlan's" Red-tailed Hawk (*) ______ CO:apr
Buteo jamaicensis harlani (a subspecies usually in the western North America)

Above & below: Red-tailed Hawks
The bird in the photograph below is a dark morph.
(upper photo by Doris Potter; lower photo during a FONT tour in southern Arizona)
Ferruginous Hawk (nt) (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jan CO:apr,jul KS:apr NE:mar OK:apr WA:sep
Buteo regalis (monotypic)

South of the US, the Ferruginous Hawk has been seen during a FONT tour in Mexico (Sonora).

A Ferruginous Hawk photographed during a FONT tour
Rough-legged Hawk (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun AZ:jan CO:apr NE:mar WY:apr
Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis

In Eurasia, Buteo lagopus is called the Rough-legged Buzzard.

Outside North America, the Rough-legged Buzzard has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, Sweden.

Above & below: Rough-legged Hawks
Above: the light morph; below: the dark morph
(photos by Howard Eskin)
Roadside Hawk (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Rupornis magnirostris (formerly Buteo magnirostris)

A Neotropical species, ranging from Mexico to Argentina. In North America, it has occurred rarely in the winter in the lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas.

South of the US, the Roadside Hawk has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela.

GOLDEN EAGLE
Golden Eagle (*) ______ AK:may,jun AZ:jul,aug CA:sep CO:apr,jul NM:apr OK:apr TX:apr WA:sep WY:apr
Aquila chrysaetos canadensis

Outside North America, the Golden Eagle has been seen during FONT tours in Andorra, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.

RAILS and ALLIES
Yellow Rail (*) ______ DE:may
Coturnicops noveboracensis
Black Rail (nt) (*) ______ DE:may NC:may,jun TX:may
Laterallus jamaicensis

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus ______ subspecies in California; also in Baja California, Mexico
Laterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis ______ subspecies in the eastern US, migrating to the southern US and Central America; also in the Greater Antilles

South of the US, the Black Rail has been found during a FONT tour in Costa Rica.
Clapper Rail (*) (ph) ______ DE:may NC:may,jun,aug TX:apr VA:may
Rallus crepitans

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO & THE WEST INDIES:
Rallus crepitans crepitans ______ subspecies from Connecticut to northern North Carolina
Rallus crepitans insularum ______ subspecies in the Florida Keys
Rallus crepitans saturnatus ______ subspecies from southern Alabama to northeastern Mexico
Rallus crepitans scotti ______ subspecies in coastal Florida
Rallus crepitans waynei ______ subspecies from southern North Carolina to Florida

South of the US, the Clapper Rail has been seen during FONT tours in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico.
Ridgway's Rail (*) ______ CA:sep
Rallus obsoletus

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO & THE WEST INDIES:
Rallus obsoletus levipes: "Light-footed Ridgway's Rail" ______ subspecies from south-central California to Baja California
Rallus obsoletus obsoletus: "California Ridgway's Rail" ______ subspecies in central California
Rallus obsoletus yumanensis: "Yuma Ridgway's Rail" ______ subspecies in southeastern California and southern Arizona. also northwestern Mexico

Until 2014, the Ridgway's Rail was part of the Clapper Rail (above).
King Rail (*) ______ DE:may TX:may
Rallus elegans

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO & THE WEST INDIES:
Rallus elegans elegans ______ subspecies in eastern Canada and the eastern US
Virginia Rail (*) (ph) ______ AZ:aug,sep CA:sep CO:jul DE:may NC:may,jun
Rallus limicola

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO:
Rallus limicola limicola ______ subspecies in southern Canada and the western, central and eastern US, migrating south as far as Guatemala

Virginia Rail
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Spotted Rail ______ (r/US)
Pardirallus maculatus

The Spotted Rail is a species normally occurring in the West Indies (Cuba, Hispaniola, & other islands), and from Mexico to South America.
There are North American specimens (of the race insolitus) from Beaver County, Pennsylvania on November 12, 1976 and from Brown County, Texas on August 9, 1977.

South of the US, the Spotted Rail has been found during FONT tours in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic.
Sora (*) ______ AZ:jan,aug,sep CA:sep CO:jul TX:mar,apr,may
Porzana carolina (monotypic)

The Sora was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the Sora has been found during FONT tours in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico.
Paint-billed Crake ______ (r/US)
Neocrex erythrops

The Paint-billed Crake normally occurring from Panama south into South America.
In North America, there are specimens from Brazos County, Texas on February 17, 1972 of the race erythrops, and from near Richmond, Virginia on December 15, 1978, of the race olivascens.
Corncrake (nt) (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Crex crex

The Corncrake is a European species that has greatly declined during recent decades.
When it was more common in Europe than it is today, it occurred as a rarity along the East Coast of North America in the fall.
Most recently, there have been occurrences on Briar Island, off Nova Scotia, Canada on May 4 & 5, 1993 (the most recent) and on the island of Saint-Pierre (in North America, off Canada, but part of France), on October 22, 1989. Earlier Canadian occurrences were in Newfoundland in September 1928, and prior to that, further north on Baffin Island.
In the US, one was on Long Island, New York, November 2, 1963.
Historical records in the United States (mostly prior to the 20th Century) were in Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey (in Salem in 1854 and in Dennisville in 1905), and Maryland (in what is now Stockton in Worcester County in 1900). 4 of the 5 Corncrake specimens from Long Island, New York were collected prior to the 20th Century.

The Corncrake was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Corncrake has been found during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania.

The Corncrake specimen, as noted above, from 1900 in Maryland.
(photo courtesy of Rick Wiltrout)
Purple Gallinule (*) (ph) ______ AZ:aug (r/AZ) TX:mar,may
Porphyrio martinica (monotypic)

The Purple Gallinule was described by Linnaeus in 1766.

South of the US, the Purple Gallinule has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.

A Purple Gallinule photographed during a FONT tour
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Purple Swamphen (NAi) ______
Porphyrio porphyrio

The Purple Swamphen was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Purple Swamphen has been found during FONT tours in Spain, where it is native.
Common Gallinule (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug CA:sep DE:may IA:mar FL:apr NC:jun,aug NM:aug TX:mar,apr,may
Gallinula galeata

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA;
Gallinula galeata cachinnans ______ subspecies in Canada and the US, and south to Panama

South of the US, the Common Gallinule has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.

The Common Gallinule was conspecific with the Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus, of the Old World.

In the Old World, the Common Moorhen has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.

A juvenile Common Gallinule
(photo by Doris Potter)
American Coot (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:apr,may KS:apr NC:jun,sep NE:mar,apr NM:apr TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep WY:apr
Fulica americana

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA;
Fulica americana americana ______ subspecies from Alaska and Canada south into Central America; also in the West Indies

South of the US, the American Coot has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico.
Closely related to the American Coot (some have said conspecific), the Caribbean Coot has been seen during FONT tours in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia (where rare), Venezuela.
The Caribbean Coot has not been found to occur in the US.

An American Coot
(photo by Howard Eskin during an Audubon Christmas Bird Count in Delaware, with Armas Hill in December 2011)
Eurasian Coot ______ (r/NA)
Fulica atra

The Eurasian Coot was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Eurasian Coot has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, the Canary islands, Hungary, Iceland (where rare), Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.

SUNGREBE
Sungrebe (ph) ______ (r/US)
Heliornis fulica

The Sungrebe is a species of Central and South America, ranging north locally in Mexico.
In the US, in New Mexico, one, a female in unworn plumage, occurred at the Bosque del Apache Refuge from November 13 to 18, 2008.
The bird was so unexpected that it was first thought to be a Red-necked Grebe. But of course in its photograph the ID was unmistakable. The New Mexico bird was 850 miles out of range, without much suitable habitat in between. The Sungrebe is not a species that's thought to be kept in captivity.

South of the US, the Sungrebe has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela.

CRANES
Sandhill Crane (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:jan BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr NE:mar TX:mar
Grus canadensis

A Sandhill Crane photographed in Alaska
(photo by Howard Eskin)

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA, NORTH OF THE WEST INDIES:
Grus canadensis canadensis ______ subspecies from Alaska & Canada east to Baffin Island; also west into Siberia, migrating south to the southern US and northern Mexico
Grus canadensis pratensis ______ a resident subspecies in Georgia and Florida
Grus canadensis pulla ______ a resident subspecies in Mississippi, described in 1972
Grus canadensis rowani ______ subspecies in Canada from British Colombia to northern Ontario, described in 1965
Grus canadensis tabida ______ subspecies in southwestern Canada and the western and central US, migrating to the southern US and north-central Mexico

The Sandhill Crane was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Sandhill Crane has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, when, during the winter, it joins in with other crane species more common in Asia.

Above: Sandhill Cranes coming in to land at dusk - feet down.
(photo by Monika Dorman)
Below: a Sandhill Crane in Florida, the subspecies Grus canadensis pratensis
(photo by Ed Kendell)

Another photo of a Sandhill Crane, this one in Delaware.
Recently more Sandhill Cranes have been occurring in northeastern North America.
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Whooping Crane (t2) (*) ______ NE:mar TX:mar
Grus americana

During the summer of 2007, a record number of Whooping Crane chicks hatched at the Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta, Canada. An aerial survey of the breeding grounds found 65 nests and 84 new chicks. Among the chicks, there were 28 sets of twins. The previous summer, there had been 76 new chicks, including among them 24 sets of twins.

About seven decades earlier, during the winter of 1941-42, after a century of shooting, egg-collecting, and habitat destruction (including the drainage of Gulf Coast marshes to create rice fields), only 15 Whooping Cranes returned to spend the winter at Aransas, in Texas. At that time, that was the entire population of the species in the wild.

The Whooping Crane was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

For more about the Whooping Crane, go to: RARE & THREATENED BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA

Above: a drawing of Whooping Cranes at the Aransas Refuge in Texas,
given as a gift to Armas Hill from the illustrator, Charles Gambill

Below: a family of Whooping Cranes at the Aransas Refuge,
with the young bird flanked by its two parents (photo by Marc Felber)

Below: 2 Whooping Cranes at the Redrock National Wildlife Refuge in 1984,
photographed by Howard Eskin.
Howard, who was there for fishing, was not expecting to find these birds.
It was just he and the birds (and hopefully a few fish) along the river.
Common Crane (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Grus grus

A Eurasian species. In North America, it occurs as a rarity usually on the Great Plains, but sometimes more rarely further east. When so found, It is almost always with migrating flocks of Sandhill Cranes.

The Common Crane was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Common Crane has been seen during FONT tours in Hungary, Japan (where it is not common), Poland, Spain, Sweden.

LIMPKIN
Limpkin (ph) _____
Aramys guarauna

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Aramys guarauna pictus ______ subspecies in Florida; also in Cuba and Jamaica

The Limpkin was described by Linnaeus in 1766.

South of the US, the Limpkin has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, Venezuela.
The subspecies in the Dominican Republic is an endemic resident on Hispaniola, a bird found in dry forest in hills that rarely, if ever, flies.
The subspecies in Jamaica is the same that occurs in Cuba and Florida.

SHOREBIRDS
Double-striped Thick-knee (ph) ______ (r/US)
Burhinus bistriatus

The Double-striped Thick-knee is a resident species in parts of Central and South America, from Mexico south to Brazil, and very locally in the West Indies. An interesting recent nesting record, not far from the US, has been on Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas.
In the US, there's a specimen from the King Ranch, Kleberg County, Texas on December 5, 1961. A more-recent bird in Yuma, Arizona was determined to be transported (from Mexico).

South of the US, the Double-striped Thick-knee has been seen during FONT tours in Costa Rica, Venezuela.

PLOVERS (and LAPWING)
Northern Lapwing (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Vanellus vanellus (monotypic)

The Northern Lapwing is a Eurasian species.
In North America, it occurs, most often in the late fall, in northeastern states in the US and eastern provinces in Canada. It has also occurred further south in the eastern US, as far south as Florida.

The Northern Lapwing was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Northern Lapwing has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan (in the winter), Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.
Black-bellied Plover (*) (ph) ______ AK:jun AZ:aug BC:sep CA:sep DE:apr,may FL:apr (DT) NC:may,jun,aug TX:apr,may VA:mar WA:sep
Pluvialis squatarola cynosurae

An alternate, and probably preferable name is Grey Plover, as it is called in the Old World; others in the genus also have black bellies.

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Pluvialis squatarola cynosurae ______ subspecies from northern Canada to South America

The Black-bellied Plover was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Grey (or Black-bellied) Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and south of the US in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia.

Black-bellied Plover
(photo by Howard Eskin)
American Golden Plover (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun NC:aug TX:mar
Pluvialis dominica (monotypic)

Unusual was an American Golden Plover, along with numerous other shorebirds, at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge along the North Carolina Outer Banks, during the FONT tour there in August 1993.

South of the US, the American Golden Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Saint Lucia.
Pacific Golden Plover (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) WA:sep
Pluvialis fulva (monotypic)

Outside North America, the Pacific Golden Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.

Pacific Golden Plover
(photo courtesy of Cameron Rutt)
European Golden Plover (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Pluvialis apricaria

The European Golden Plover breeds in Europe from northern Russia west to Iceland. Also breeds in Greenland.
It winters in Europe and North Africa.
In North America, in addition to Greenland, it occurs uncommonly in eastern Canada in Newfoundland and Labrador, and rarely in eastern Quebec and Nova Scotia, and on the islands of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, usually in the spring and especially after storms. More rarely, there have been occurrences further south in eastern North America in Maine and Delaware.

The European Golden Plover was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the European Golden Plover has been seen during Iceland, Spain, Sweden. Hearing it in Iceland, where it breeds, is one of the nicest of sounds heard during FONT tours.
Snowy Plover (*) (ph) ______ CA:sep CO:apr TX:apr WA:sep
Charadrius nivosus

The Snowy Plover was conspecific with the Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrius, of Eurasia.

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Charadrius nivosus nivosus ______ subspecies in US, south to Panama; also in the West Indies

South of the US, the Snowy Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Chile, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico (the Yucatan), Puerto Rico (where rare).

Outside North America, the now closely-related Kentish Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Japan, Spain, Turkey. I do not know of any occurrences of the Kentish Plover in North America.

Snowy Plover
(photo by Marie Gardner during a FONT tour)
Wilson's Plover (*) (ph) ______ FL:apr NC:may,jun TX:apr,may
Charadrius wilsonia

SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO & THE WEST INDIES:
Charadrius wilsonia wilsonia ______ subspecies in the eastern US and south into eastern Mexico to Belize

In eastern North America, the Wilson's Plover has generally been a species along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean in the southern US states.
It is not a species to be expected in Pennsylvania, but one was found in that state by Lake Erie on May 26, 2015,
There were some previous occurrences of Wilson's Plovers in Pennsylvania in 1968, 1971, and 1976 (each time also by Lake Erie), and elsewhere in PA in 1970 (in Luzerne County).

South of the US, the Wilson's Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Barbados, the Cayman Islands (where rare), Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico (the Yucatan), Panama, Puerto Rico.

Wilson's Plover
(photo by Marie Gardner during a FONT tour)
Semipalmated Plover (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:aug CA:sep CO:apr DE:may FL:apr NC:may,jun,aug TX:apr,may WA:sep
Charadrius semipalmatus (monotypic)

South of the US, the Semipalmated Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Barbados, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.
Piping Plover (t3) (*) (ph) ______ CO:apr (r/CO) DE:apr NC:jun,jul,aug TX:may
Charadrius melodus (monotypic)

South of the US, the Piping Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Mexico (the Yucatan).
Killdeer (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:apr,may IA:mar FL:apr KS:apr NC:may,jun,aug NE:mar,apr NM:apr OK:apr TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep WY:apr
Charadrius vociferus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA NORTH OF THE WEST INDIES:
Charadrius vociferus vociferus ______ subspecies in Canada, the US, and in Mexico, migrating south to northwestern South America

The Killdeer was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the Killdeer has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Chile (far-north), the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico.
There is a resident subspecies of Killdeer in the Caribbean, but in the winter birds from mainland North America also occur there.

An adult Killdeer with 2 babies (on the ground to the right of the adult)
Mountain Plover (t3) (USneb) (*) (ph) ______ CO:apr,jul KS:apr (r/KS)
Charadrius montanus (monotypic)

An alternate name for Charadrius montanus could be the "Mountain Dotterel", although actually the bird is more of the plains than the mountains.

For more about the Mountain Plover, and the "Mountain Plover Festival" held annually in a very small town on the plains of Colorado, go to: RARE & THREATENED BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA
Eurasian Dotterel (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Charadrius morinellus

The Eurasian Dotterel is, as its name indicates, a Eurasian species.
It is an uncommon, sporadic breeder in northwestern Alaska. It occurs rarely along the West Coast of North America in the fall.

The Eurasian Dotterel was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Eurasian Dotterel has been seen during FONT tours in Spain, Sweden.
Lesser Sand Plover (*) (ph) ______ (r/US) CA:sep
Charadrius mongolus stegmanni

Another name for Charadrius mongolus has been the Mongolian Plover.

By whatever common name, Charadrius mongolus is an Asian species. In North America, it occurs rarely in the Aleutians and on other islands off western Alaska. It is also rare in the summer in western and northwestern Alaska where it has bred.
Further south in North America, it occurs rarely along the West Coast, and more rarely in the East.

A single Lesser Sandplover was seen in California during the FONT West Coast Tour in September 1992.

Outside North America, the Lesser Sand Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.

A photograph of the Lesser Sandplover in California in September 1992.
At that time, it was called a Mongolian Plover.
(photo during the September 1992 FONT West Coast Tour by BJ Rose)
Greater Sand Plover ______ (r/US)
Charadrius leschenaultii

The Greater Sand Plover is an Old World species, mostly Asian.
One was in North America at the Bolinas Lagoon, in Marin County, California, from January 29 to April 8, 2001.

Outside North America, the Greater Sand Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, where it is rare.
Common Ringed Plover (*) (ph) ______ (r/NA) AK:jun
Charadrius hiaticula

The Common Ringed Plover is primarily an Old World species, but it does breed in North America, not only in Greenland, but also in eastern Canada on Ellesmere, Bylor, and eastern Baffin Islands, and occasionally on St. Lawrence Island in Alaska. It occurs rarely, but regularly, in the spring in western Alaska.
It has rarely occurred along the East Coast of North America as far south as Massachusetts.

Outside North America, the Common Ringed Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.
Little Ringed Plover ______ (r/US)
Charadrius dubius

The Little Ringed Plover is an Old World species. it occurs rarely in the spring in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska.

Outside North America, the Little Ringed Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, the Canary Islands, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Spain, Turkey..
Collared Plover ______ (r/US)
Charadrius collaris (monotypic)

The Collared Plover is a resident species from Mexico south through much of South America. In North America, 1 was at Uvalde, Texas, May 9-11, 1992.
The 2nd Collared Plover in the US was also found in Texas, near Hargill, on August 2, 2014.

South of the US, the Collared Plover has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela.

OYSTERCATCHERS
American Oystercatcher (*) (ph) ______ DE:may NC:may,jun,jul,aug TX:may VA:mar
Haematopus palliatus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Haematopus palliatus palliatus ______ subspecies along coasts in North America and South America; also in the West Indies; the other subspecies is in the Galapagos Islands

South of the US, the American Oystercatcher has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico.

American Oystercatcher
(photo by Howard Eskin)
American Black Oystercatcher (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun BC:sep CA:sep WA:sep
Haematopus bachmani (monotypic)

South of the US, the Black Oystercatcher has been seen during a FONT tour in Mexico (Sonora).

American Black Oystercatcher, photographed during a FONT West Coast USA Tour
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Eurasian Oystercatcher (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Haematopus ostralegus

The Eurasian Oystercatcher is an Old World (Palearctic) species, occurring normally as far west as Iceland.
It has traveled, rarely, west to Greenland, and more rarely, west to North America, particularly Newfoundland, Canada.
In Newfoundland, in the spring, records have been May 22 to 25, 1994 and April 3 to May 2, 1999.

The Eurasian Oystercatcher was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Eurasian Oystercatcher has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Romania, Spain, Sweden. The Eurasian Oystercatcher is often seen away from the sea.

STILTS and AVOCET
Black-necked Stilt (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug,sep CA:sep CO:apr DE:may FL:apr NC:may,jun,jul,aug TX:mar,apr,may
Himantopus mexicanus (monotypic)

South of the US, the Black-necked Stilt has been found during FONT tours in Argentina, the Cayman Islands, Chile (far-north), Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.

The Black-necked Stilt has been considered by some as conspecific with the nearly-cosmopolitan Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus (the next bird in this list).

Black-necked Stilts, an adult with young
Black-winged Stilt (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Himantopus himantopus

The Black-winged Stilt is a widespread Old World species.
There are two Alaskan records from the western Aleutians: Nizki Island from May 24 to June 3, 1983 and on Shemya Island, June 1 to 9, 2003. And there is a specimen from St. George Island, in the Pribilofs, Alaska, on May 15, 2003.

The Black-winged Stilt was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Black-winged Stilt has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Spain, Turkey.
American Avocet (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug,sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul KS:apr NC:may,aug,sep NE:apr TX:apr,may WY:apr
Recurvirostra americana (monotypic)

South of the US, the American Avocet has been found during FONT tours in Mexico.

Above & below: American Avocets
Above: breeding plumage, below: non-breeding
(upper photo by Abram Fleishman,
lower photo by Howard Eskin)

JACANA
Northern Jacana (ph) ______ (r/US)
Jacana spinosa

The Northern Jacana is a species mostly of Mexico and Central America, but it does occur rarely in south Texas, where it most likely has bred. It occurs as a vagrant in west Texas and in southern Arizona.

The Northern Jacana was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the Northern Jacana has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama.

YELLOWLEGS (and other Tringa species)
Greater Yellowlegs (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep,jul CO:apr DE:apr,may IA:mar KS:apr NC:may,jun,aug NE:mar,apr NF:jul OK:apr TX:mar,apr,may VA:mar WA:sep WY:apr
Tringa melanoleuca (monotypic)

South of the US, the Greater Yellowlegs has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.

Greater Yellowlegs
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Lesser Yellowlegs (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:jul,aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:apr,may KS:apr NC:may,aug NCP:aug TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep
Tringa flavipes (monotypic)

South of the US, the Lesser Yellowlegs has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.

Lesser Yellowlegs
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Solitary Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug,sep CO:apr DE:may KS:apr NC:may TX:mar,may WA:sep
Tringa solitaria

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Tringa solitaria cinnamomea ______ subspecies from Alaska to northern Manitoba, Canada, migrating to South America
Tringa solitria solitaria ______ subspecies from British Colombia to Labrador in Canada, migrating to the West Indies and Central America and South America

South of the US, the Solitary Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.

Solitary Sandpiper
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Willet (*) (ph) ______ AZ:aug BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:may FL:apr NC:may,jun,jul,aug TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep
Tringa (formerly Catoptrophorus) semipalmatus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Tringa semipalmatus inornatus: Western Willet   ______ subspecies in south-central Canada and the north-central US, migrating to the southern US and further to South America
Tringa semipalmatus semipalmatus: Eastern Willet   ______ subspecies in southeastern Canada, the eastern and southern US, and the West Indies, migrating to the southern US, the West Indies, Central America, and South America as far as Brazil

South of the US, the Willet has been seen during FONT tours in the Cayman Islands, Chile (far-north), Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.

An Eastern Willet   (photo by Howard Eskin)
Common Greenshank (*) ______ (r/NA)   AK:may (PI)
Tringa nebularia (monotypic)

The Common Greenshank is a common Eurasian species.
It visits western Alaska annually, as a rarity, in the spring. It occurs on the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands, and on St. Lawrence Island. It also occurs rarely in western Alaska in the fall. Further south, it has occurred rarely as far as coastal northwest California, and in eastern North America, as a rarity, in northeast Canada.

Outside North America, the Common Greenshank has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey..
Marsh Sandpiper ______ (r/NA)
Tringa stagnatilis (monotypic)

The Marsh Sandpiper is an Old World species, more common in Asia.
It has occurred rarely, in the fall, on the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.

Outside North America, the Marsh Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Turkey.
Wood Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ (r/NA) AK:may,jun (PI)
Tringa glareola (monotypic)

The Wood Sandpiper is a Eurasian species.
Normally, it occurs probably the most commonly of any Eurasian shorebird, or "wader", in western Alaska in the spring. It has occasionally bred on western Aleutian Islands in Alaska. It also occurs in that state on the Pribilof Islands and on St. Lawrence Island.
It has occurred more rarely in western North America south to British Columbia, as well as in eastern North America.

The Wood Sandpiper was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Wood Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Spain, Turkey.

South of the US, the Wood Sandpiper has been seen during a FONT tour in Barbados (a Caribbean island where European strays are found rather regularly).
Green Sandpiper (*) ______ (r/US) AK:may (PI)
Tringa ochropus (monotypic)

The Green Sandpiper is a Eurasian species.
It occurs rarely in the spring in Alaska in the western Aleutian Islands, the Priblof Islands, and on St. Lawrence Island.

The Green Sandpiper was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Green Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Japan, Poland, Spain, Turkey..
Common Redshank (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Tringa totanus

The Common Redshank is a Eurasian species that breeds as far west as Iceland. It occurs on occasion in Greenland.
Elsewhere in North America, it is rare in Newfoundland, Canada in the spring, and more so there in the winter.

The Common Redshank was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Common Redshank has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey. In Iceland, there is an endemic subspecies.
Spotted Redshank ______ (r/NA)
Tringa erythropus (monotypic)

The Spotted Redshank is a Eurasian species.
It occurs rarely, in the spring and the fall, on the Aleutian Islands and the Pribilof Islands in Alaska.
More rarely, it occurs in North America along both the West Coast & the East Coast and at times, as a vagrant, in between.

Outside North America, the Spotted Redshank has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.

TATTLERS
Wandering Tattler (*) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) CA:sep WA:sep
Heteroscelus (or said to be Tringa) incanus (monotypic)

South of the US, the Wandering Tattler has been seen during FONT tours in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador.

A Wandering Tattler in Alaska
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Grey-tailed Tattler (ph) ______ (r/NA)
Heteroscelus (or said to be Tringa) brevipes (monotypic)

The Grey-tailed Tattler is an Asian species.
It occurs rarely, but regularly, in the spring and fall in Alaska on the western Aleutian Islands, the Pribilof Islands, and on St. Lawrence Island. More rarely, it is found in northern Alaska.
It has occurred as a vagrant in the fall in Washington State and California.

Outside North America, the Grey-tailed Tattler has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.
Terek Sandpiper (*) ______ (r/NA) AK:jun
Xenus cinereus (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)

The Terek Sandpiper is a Eurasian species.
It occurs rarely in Alaska on the western Aleutian Islands, and more rarely in that state on the Pribilof Islands, St. Lawrence Island, and in the Anchorage area.
It has also occurred as a vagrant in the fall in British Columbia, Canada, and in California and Massachusetts in the US.

Outside North America, the Terek Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.
Spotted Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun AZ:jul,aug CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:may FL:apr (DT) KS:apr MD:apr NC:may,aug NF:jul NM:apr TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep
Actitis macularia (monotypic)

The Spotted Sandpiper was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the Spotted Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile (far-north), Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.

Above: A Spotted Sandpiper with spots
Below: An unspotted Spotted Sandpiper
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Common Sandpiper (*) ______ (r/NA) AK:jun (PI)
Actitis hypoleucos (monotypic)

The Common Sandpiper is a Eurasian species.
It is rare, but regular, usually in the spring, in Alaska on the western Aleutian Islands, the Pribilof Islands, and on St. Lawrence Island. It occurs more rarely in Alaska to the Seward Peninsula.

The Common Sandpiper was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Common Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.
Upland Sandpiper (*) ______ FL:apr (DT) NC:aug
Bartramia longicauda (monotypic)

South of the US, the Upland Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil.

CURLEWS
Whimbrel (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:aug BC:sep CA:sep FL:apr (DT) NC:may,aug TX:mar WA:sep
Numenius phaeopus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus ______ subspecies breeding from the Hudson Bay area to northeastern Canada, migrating to the Caribbean and South America
Numenius phaeopus rufiventris ______ subspecies breeding from Alaska to northwestern Canada, migrating south to western North America, Central America, South America

The pale-backed Siberian subspecies, Numenius phaeopus variegatus, is a rare migrant in the Bering Strait area of western Alaska, as it is on the islands in the Bering Sea.

The Whimbrel was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Whimbrel has been during FONT tours in Hungary, Iceland, Japan (the race N. p. variegatus), Poland, Spain, Sweden.

South of the US, the Whimbrel has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.
Long-billed Curlew (nt) (*) (ph) ______ AZ:aug,sep CA:sep CO:apr KS:apr NC:aug (r/NC) NE:apr TX:apr,may WA:sep
Numenius americanus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Numenius americanus americanus ______ subspecies in the west-central US, migrating to the southwestern US, with some further south into Central America
Numenius americanus parvus ______ subspecies from southwest and south-central Canada to the southwestern US, migrating to the southwestern US and Mexico

Unusual was a Long-billed Curlew, along with numerous other shorebirds, at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge along the North Carolina Outer Banks, during the FONT tour three in August 1993.

South of the US, the Long-billed Curlew has been seen during FONT tours in Mexico, Panama.
Bristle-thighed Curlew (t3) (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI)
Numenius tahitiensis (monotypic)

In 1769, the Bristle-thighed Curlew was discovered wintering on South Pacific islands, first collected by Captain Cook's voyagers in Tahiti. The species was described to science 20 year later. Its nesting grounds in Alaska were not discovered until almost 180 years later, in 1948. Just prior to that, it was the only bird species in North America whose nesting area was still a mystery.

Bristle-thighed Curlew
(photo courtesy of Cameron Rutt)
Eastern Curlew (nt) (*) ______ (r/NA) AK:may (PI)
Numenius madagascariensis (monotypic)

The Eastern Curlew breeds in the Russian Far East, and winters mostly in Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, with some in southeast Asia. Despite its scientific name, it is not found in or near Madagascar.
It is rare in the spring & early-summer in the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands of Alaska. It also occurred in September 1984 along the coast of British Columbia, Canada.

The Eastern Curlew was described by Linnaeus in 1766.

Outside North America, the Eastern Curlew has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.

Numenius madagascariensis has also been called the Far Eastern Curlew.
Eurasian Curlew ______ (r/NA)
Numenius arquata

The Eurasian Curlew is a widespread species in Eurasia.
It has been a rarity along the east coast of North America in the fall and winter, with at least 6 records from Newfoundland, Canada south to Long Island, New York.
There has been another record in western Canada of 1 bird at Middle Cheyne Lake, in Nunavit.

The Eurasian Curlew was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Eurasian Curlew has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey. The Eurasian Curlew does not breed on Iceland, where it occurs in the winter, coming from Norway.
Little Curlew (*) ______ (r/NA) CA:sep
Numenius minutus (monotypic)

A single Little Curlew was seen in California during the FONT West Coast Tour in September 1994.

The Little Curlew breeds in the Russian Far East and winters mainly in northern Australia.
In North America, it has been a fall vagrant along coastal California (where there have been 4 fall records including both adult & juvenile birds).
Also there is one well-documented record for the late-spring for Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska.
Eskimo Curlew (t1) ______ (assumed now to be extinct)
Numenius borealis

Another name for the Eskimo Curlew was the "Doe-bird", sometimes spelled "Dough-bird". That name was due to the bird's acquiring of fatness for its long journey south.

As North America was being settled by the Europeans, the Eskimo Curlew was one of the most abundant birds on the continent.
It bred on the Barren Grounds of northern Canada. It wintered in far-southern South America. It migrated in between.
It was said, during its southbound migration, to have visited Newfoundland "in millions" darkening the sky.
John James Audubon, Elliot Coues, and other ornithologists of the early 1800s told of immense flights.
In the Prairie States, the numbers of Eskimo Curlews so resembled the tremendous flights of Passenger Pigeons that they were called "Prairie Pigeons".
A single flock alighting in Nebraska was said to have covered 40 to 50 acres of ground.

The Eskimo Curlew migrated south in August southeast to Labrador and Newfoundland, where they fed on "curlew berries" (Empetrum nigrum) and snails, gaining the weight needed for their long journey out over the sea to South America.
Easterly storms, such as hurricanes that time of year, sometimes brought them onto the coasts of New England and Long Island, New York. They often touched down on Lesser Antillean islands, such as Barbados, before continuing on to to the coast of Brazil, and then further to Argentina.

During their northbound spring route, after crossing the Gulf of Mexico, they arrived in March in southern Texas, and then continued up the western Mississippi Valley, and thence further north to where they would nest.

But from being abundant, the status of the Eskimo Curlew in the 19th Century certainly changed.

Incredibly, the Eskimo Curlew was not seen anywhere at its known breeding grounds for years after 1865.
Just over a century later, in 1987, a small nesting colony was said to be found in the Canadian Arctic, that was maybe the last.
The last breeding grounds of the Eskimo Curlew in northern Canada are said to have been in either Ungava or Franklin.

The last Eskimo Curlews were either seen or shot at these places as follows:
in Illinois in 1872
in Ontario in 1873
in Ohio in 1878
in Arkansas and Michigan in 1883
in South Dakota and Oklahoma in 1884
in Minnesota in 1885
in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Newfoundland in 1889
in Indiana in 1890
in Iowa in 1893
in Prince Edward Island in 1901
in Kansas, Missouri, and Nova Scotia in 1902
in Quebec in 1906 (fair-sized flocks in the fall were in Quebec until 1891)
in Wisconsin in 1912
in Maryland, and Bermuda in 1913 (fair-sized flocks were in Bermuda until 1874)
in Massachusetts in 1916 (fair-sized flocks were in Massachusetts until 1883)
in Nebraska in 1926 (there was a more-recent report in Nebraska in 1987)
in Maine in 1929 (fair-sized flocks were in Maine until 1879)
in Labrador and Long Island, New York in 1932 (fair-sized flocks in the fall were in Labrador until 1892)
in South Carolina in 1956
in New Jersey in 1959
in the Bahamas in 1963
in Barbados in the Lesser Antilles in 1964, when one was shot.

No spring migrant was seen anywhere other than Texas since 1926.
Along the Gulf coast of Texas, the last confirmed sighting, with a photograph, was at Galveston in 1962. A flock of 23 birds was reported there in 1981.

There were additional, but unconfirmed records of Eskimo Curlews:
in Texas and Canada in 1987 (the Canadian "breeding site" noted above), in Nova Scotia in 2006, and in Argentina in 1990.

The last Eskimo Curlews seen and confirmed at wintering grounds in South America, were in Argentina back in n 1939.

With prevailing westerlies or strong storms, Eskimo Curlews were at times seen across the Atlantic Ocean:
Sighted or shot:
in England in 1852 (2 birds) and 1887.
in Scotland in 1855, 1878, 1880.
in Ireland in 1870.



A painting of an Eskimo Curlew by Archibald Thorbum

The following is an excerpt of the account written by John James Audubon relating to his first encounter with the Eskimo Curlew, in Labrador:

"On the 29th of July, 1833, during a thick fog, the Esquimaux Curlews made their first appearance (for me) in Labrador, near the harbor of Brag d'Or. They evidently came from the north, and arrived in such dense flocks as to remind me of the Passenger Pigeons. The weather was extremely cold as well as foggy.
For more than a week we had been looking for them, as was every fisherman in the harbour, these birds being considered there, as indeed they are, delicacies.
The birds at length came, flock after flock, passed close to our vessel, and directed their course toward the sterile mountainous tracts in the neighborhood, and as soon as the sun's rays had dispersed the fogs that hung over the land, our whole party went off in search of them.

I was not long in discovering that their stay on this coast was occasional solely by the density of the mists and the heavy gales that already gave intimation of the approaching close of the summer, for whenever the weather cleared up a little, thousands of them (the curlews) set off and steered in a straight course across the broad Gulf of St, Lawrence.
On the contrary, when the wind was high, and the fogs thick, they flew swiftly and low over the rocky surface of the country, as if bewildered. Wherever there was a spot that seemed likely to afford a supply of food, there the Curlews abounded, and were easily approached. By the 12th of August, they had all left the country."
Slender-billed Curlew (t1) ______ (possibly now extinct)
Numernius tenurostris

In North America, there is a specimen of the now either very rare, or extinct, Slender-billed Curlew from Crescent Beach, Ontario in "about 1925".

GODWITS
Hudsonian Godwit (nt) (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun
Limosa haemastica (monotypic)

The Hudsonian Godwit was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the Hudsonian Godwit has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Chile (including Chiloe Island where a large proportion of the species' total population is present during its non-breeding season), and the Dominican Republic.

Above, two photos of Hudsonian Godwits in Alaska
(photos by Howard Eskin)
Marbled Godwit (*) (ph) ______ BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr NC:aug TX:apr WA:sep WY:apr
Limosa fedoa

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Limosa fedoa beringiae ______ subspecies breeding in Alaska, migrating to the western US, described in 1989
Limosa fedoa fedoa ______ subspecies from central Canada and the northwestern US, migrating to the southern US, with some further south into Central America and northwestern South America

The Marbled Godwit was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

South of the US, the Marbled Godwit has been seen during FONT tours in Chile (where rare), Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama.
Bar-tailed Godwit (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) CA:sep WA:sep
Limosa lapponica

Two subspecies of this mostly-Eurasian Bar-tailed Godwit occur in North America.
The subspecies Limosa lapponica baueri breeds in western Alaska. It is a famous long-distance migrant, traveling as far south over the Pacific Ocean as New Zealand. This Alaska-breeding subspecies occurs rarely along the West Coast of North America, and there is also a record of it, as a vagrant, along the East Coast in Massachusetts.
The European subspecies, Limosa lapponica lapponica, occurs very rarely along the Atlantic Coast of North America.

Bar-tailed Godwits have been seen in California & Washington State during 5 FONT West Coast Tours in September.

In 2007, a satellite-tagged Bar-tailed Godwit was tracked making the longest known non-stop migratory flight of any bird. Its journey was from its non-breeding grounds in New Zealand to is nesting site in western Alaska's Yukon Delta, and back again. The bird was a female.
On the way north, she flew 6,340 miles non-stop to Yalu Jiang in China. She then flew another 3,000 miles to Alaska. On her way back to New Zealand from Alaska, with her tag still operative, she set the record with 7,145 miles non-stop, landing in New Zealand in early September.
Such birds, it may be safe to say, have been making such journeys for a long time.

The Bar-tailed Godwit was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Bar-tailed Godwit has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland, Japan, Spain, Sweden.

Bar-tailed Godwits photographed during a FONT tour
(photo by Paul West)
Black-tailed Godwit ______ (r/NA)
Limosa limosa

The Black-tailed Godwit is a western Old World species.
It has occurred as a rarity in eastern North America, with records from eastern Ontario to Louisiana.

The Black-tailed Godwit was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Black-tailed Godwit has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Poland, Spain, Turkey. In Iceland, there is an endemic breeding subspecies, L. l. islandica.
Eastern Black-tailed Godwit (nt) (*) ______ (r/US) AK:may (PI)
Limosa melanuroides

The Eastern Black-tailed Godwit is an east Asian species.
In Alaska, it is a rare, but regular, spring visitor in the western Aleutian Islands, and it has occurred more rarely also in the spring in the Pribilof Islands.

Outside North America, the Eastern Black-tailed Godwit has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.

TURNSTONES and SURFBIRD
Ruddy Turnstone (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:aug (r/AZ) BC:sep CA:sep DE:may FL:apr (DT) NC:may,jun,jul,aug NCP:aug TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep
Arenaria interpres

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Arenaria interpres interpres ______ subspecies breeding in northeastern Canada, Greenland, and northern Europe east to northeastern Siberia and western Alaska, migrating to Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, Pacific islands, and in North America from the western US to western Mexico
Arenaria interpres morinella ______ subspecies breeding in northeastern Alaska and northern Canada, migrating to the southern US and further south to South America

The Ruddy Turnstone was described by Linnaeus in 1758 (the nominate) and 1766 (A. i. morinella).

Outside North America, the Ruddy Turnstone has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Spain, and south of the US in Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.

Ruddy Turnstone
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Black Turnstone (*) ______ AK:may,jun BC:sep CA:sep WA:sep
Arenaria melanocephala (monotypic)
Surfbird (*) ______ AK:may,jun BC:sep CA:sep WA:sep
Aphriza virgata (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)

In 1926, a nest of Surfbirds was found for the first time in mountains of Alaska. The species was described to science back in 1789.

South of the US, the Surfbird has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Chile, Panama.

CALIDRIS sandpipers
Red Knot (*) (ph) ______ AK:jun CA:sep DE:may NC:may,aug TX:may WA:sep
Calidris canutus

SUBSPECIES THAT OCCUR IN NORTH AMERICA:
Calidris canutus islandica ______ subspecies breeding on islands of far-northern Canada and in Greenland, migrating to western Europe
Calidris canutus roselaari ______ subspecies breeding in northwestern Alaska and northeastern Siberia, migrating to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, described in 1990
Calidris canutus rufa ______ subspecies breeding in northern Canada, migrating to South America as far south as Tierra del Fuego

The Red Knot was described by Linnaeus in 1758, the nominate that breeds in Siberia, winters in Africa, and passes through Europe in migration.
The subspecies Calidris canutus islandica, that winters in Europe, was described by Linnaeus in 1767.

In 1909, during his journey home from his discovery of the North Pole, Admiral Peary found the first nest of the Red Knot ever seen by man, in Grinnell Land, on northern Ellesmere Island.
Previous arctic explorers, having observed Knots feeding by tundra pools, mistakenly assumed the nests to be in the nearby grass. Rather, Knots usually nest on high rock shale far from water, affording an ideal camouflage.

Outside North America, the Red Knot has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland, Japan (the race C. c. rogersi), Spain, Sweden.
The subspecies in Iceland is C. c. islandica although it does not breed there. That subspecies does nest on islands of northern Canada and in northern Greenland, and occurs, during the non-breeding season, in Spain. Otherwise in Europe, the subspecies is C. c. canutus.

South of the US, the Red Knot has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), the Galapagos Islands, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico (where uncommon at best).

For more about Calidris canutus rufa, click the link here:

KNOTS AND OTHER SHOREBIRDS THAT STAGE EACH SPRING BY THE DELAWARE BAY

Above & below: Red Knots
Above in breeding plumage, below non-breeding plumage
(both photos by Howard Eskin)
Sanderling (*) (ph) ______ AK:may CA:sep DE:may FL:apr (DT) NC:may,aug,sep TX:mar,apr,may WA:sep
Calidris alba

SUBSPECIES THAT OCCUR IN NORTH AMERICA:
Calidris alba alba ______ subspecies that breeds in northern Canada on Ellesmere Island & in Greenland, and east into Europe, migrating to Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia
Calidris alba rubida ______ subspecies breeding in northern Canada, Alaska, and northeastern Siberia, migrating to the Americas, with some in coastal eastern Asia

Outside North America, the Sanderling has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Spain, Turkey, and south of the US in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.
Semipalmated Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun AZ:aug (r/AZ) CA:sep (r/CA) CO:apr DE:may FL:apr NC:may,aug,sep NCP:aug TX:mar,may
Calidris pusilla (monotypic)

The Semipalmated Sandpiper was described by Linnaeus in 1766.

Outside North America, the Semipalmated Sandpiper has been seen, as a rarity, during a FONT tour in Hungary, and south of the US in Barbados, Belize, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.

Above & below: A flock of Semipalmated Sandpipers
(photos by Howard Eskin)
Western Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (ac) (PI) AZ:jul,aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr FL:apr NC:may,aug TX:apr WA:sep
Calidris mauri (monotypic)

South of the US, the Western Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.

Western Sandpiper
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Least Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr DE:may FL:apr NC:may,aug TX:mar,apr WA:sep
Calidris minutilla (monotypic)

South of the US, the Least Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil (Amazonian), the Cayman Islands, Chile (far-north), Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.

Least Sandpiper
(photo by Howard Eskin)
White-rumped Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ NC:may,aug WA:sep
Calidris fuscicollis (monotypic)

Regarding WA in September, the White-rumped Sandpiper is uncommon in the Northwest US.

Outside North America, the White-rumped Sandpiper has been seen, as a rarity, during a FONT tour in Iceland.

South of the US, the White-rumped Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Chile (where it is common in its non-breeding season in Patagonia), the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Puerto Rico (where rare).
Baird's Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun AZ:jul,aug,sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul NE:mar KS:apr TX:apr,may WA:sep
Calidris bairdii (monotypic)

South of the US, the Baird's Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Chile (where it is common in its non-breeding season in the Andes Mountains), Ecuador.

Baird's Sandpipers
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Pectoral Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:aug BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr DE:may NC:aug TX:may WA:sep
Calidris melanotos (monotypic)

Outside North America, the Pectoral Sandpiper has been seen, as a rarity, in Sweden, Turkey, and south of the US in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (ph) _____ (r/NA)
Calidris acuminata (monotypic)

The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is an Old World species that breeds in the Russian Far East.
It is rare in the spring and fairly common in the fall in western Alaska.
It occurs rarely in the fall along the West Coast of North America, and more rarely across the rest of the continent.

Outside North America, the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.
Dunlin (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) CA:sep CO:apr DE:mar,apr,may NC:may TX:apr,may VA:apr WA:sep
Calidris alpina

SUBSPECIES THAT OCCUR IN NORTH AMERICA:
Calidris alpina arctica ______ subspecies breeding in northeastern Greenland, migrating to northwestern Africa
Calidris alpina schinzii ______ subspecies in southeastern Greenland, and in Iceland, the British Isles, and northern Europe, migrating to southern Europe and northwestern Africa
Calidris alpina arcticola ______ subspecies breeding in northern Alaska and northwestern Canada, migrating to Asia in eastern China, Korea, and Japan, described in 1953
Calidris alpina hudsonia ______ subspecies breeding in north-central Canada east of the Hudson Bay, migrating to the southeastern US, described in 1953
Calidris alpina pacifica ______ subspecies breeding in western and southern Alaska, migrating to the western US and western Mexico

The Dunlin was described by Linnaeus in 1758, the nominate of Europe & Asia, into Africa.

Outside North America, the Dunlin has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Spain, and south of the US in the Dominican Republic (where rare), Mexico.

An old name for Calidris alpina was "Red-backed Sandpiper".

A Dunlin surrounded by Semipalmated Sandpipers
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Curlew Sandpiper (*) (ph) ______ (r/NA) NC:aug (r/NC)
Calidris ferruginea (monotypic)

The Curlew Sandpiper is a Eurasian species.
In North America, it occurs rarely, but annually, along the East Coast, and more rarely elsewhere.
In northern Alaska, it has bred.

Curlew Sandpipers were seen during FONT North Carolina Tours, along the Outer Banks, in Augusts of 1993, 1994, & 1995.

Outside North America, the Curlew Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.

A Curlew Sandpiper with only part of its breeding plumage
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Stilt Sandpiper (*) (ph) _______ AK:jun AZ:aug BC:sep DE:may FL:apr NC:aug TX:apr,may
Calidris (has been Micropama) himantopus (monotypic)

A Stilt Sandpiper during a FONT tour in British Columbia in September 2000 was unusual there.

South of the US, the Stilt Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.

Stilt Sandpiper
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Long-toed Stint (*) (ph) ______ (r/US) AK:may (PI) CA:sep
Calidris subminuta (monotypic)

The Long-toed Stint is an Asian species.
In Alaska, in the spring, it can be fairly common in the western Aleutian Islands and rare in the Pribilof Islands and on St. Lawrence Island.
More rarely, it occurs in the fall in coastal Oregon and California.

A single Long-toed Stint was seen in California during the FONT West Coast Tour in September 1992.

Outside North America, the Long-toed Stint has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.

Long-toed Stint
(photo taken during a FONT Tour in Japan)
Red-necked Stint (*) (ph) ______ (r/NA) AK:jun (PI)
Calidris ruficollis (monotypic)

The Red-necked Stint is an east Asian species.
It occurs, regularly, along the west Alaska coast, and on offshore Alaskan islands. Breeding has been documented along the coast of the Seward Peninsula in Alaska. Elsewhere in North America, the species occurs rarely along both the West & East Coasts, and, as a vagrant, in between.

Outside North America, the Red-necked Stint has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.

Calidris ruficollis has also been called Rufous-necked Stint.
Temminck's Stint (*) ______ (r/NA) AK:jun
Calidris temminckii (monotypic)

The Temminck's Stint is a Eurasian species.
It occurs rarely in the spring and the fall in Alaska in the Pribilof Islands, the Aleutian Islands, and on St. Lawrence Island.
More rarely, it occurs in northern Alaska and in the coastal Pacific Northwest of the US.

Outside North America, the Temminck's Stint has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Spain.
Little Stint ______ (r/NA)
Calidris minuta (monotypic)

The Little Stint is a Eurasian species.
It occurs very rarely on western Alaskan islands in the spring and fall, and as a rarity elsewhere in North America along both the West & East Coasts, and , as a vagrant, in between.

Outside North America, the Little Stint has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan (rare there), Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.
Rock Sandpiper (*) ______ AK:may,jun (PI)
Calidris ptilocnemis

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Calidris ptilocnemis cousei ______ subspecies in Alaska in the Aleutian Islands and on the Alaska Peninsula
Calidris ptilocnemis ptilocnemis ______ subspecies nesting in the Pribilof Islands of Alaska, wintering on the Alaska Peninsula
Calidris ptilocnemis tschuktschorum ______ subspecies nesting in far-eastern Siberia and western Alaska, including on St Lawrence and Nunivak islands, wintering in northwestern North America

A 4th subspecies of the Rock Sandpiper occurs in far-eastern Siberia, migrating south to Japan, where it is rare.
Purple Sandpiper (ph) ______
Calidris maritima

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Calidris maritima belkcheri ______ subspecies breeding in Canada east of the Hudson Bay and at James Bay, migrating to eastern North America, described in 1998
Calidris maritima maritima ______ subspecies breeding in northern Canada and Greenland, and east into Scandinavia and Siberia, migrating to eastern North America and western and northern Europe

Another subspecies, Calidris maritima littoralis, breeds in Iceland, where it is a resident.

Outside North America, the Purple Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland, where it is an endemic subspecies. During May & June FONT tours in Iceland, it has been seen where it nests.

Purple Sandpiper
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Great Knot ______ (r/US)
Calidris tenuirostris (monotypic)

The Great Knot is an Asian species.
It occurs rarely in western Alaska in the spring.

Outside North America, the Great Knot has been see during FONT tours in Japan.
Spoon-billed Sandpiper (t1) ______ (r/NA)
Eurynorhynchus pygmeus (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is an overall very rare species, breeding in far eastern Siberia. It winters coastally in Southeast Asia.
The total population of the species has recently been estimated as under 4,000 birds. The population at the known breeding grounds has recently been said to be about 1,000 individuals, thus indicating a greater than 50 per recent reduction in the last decade or so.
In North America, it has occurred very rarely in western and northern Alaska. Further south, in British Columbia, Canada, there was a record of a breeding-plumaged adult near Vancouver from July 30 to August 3, 1978.

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Broad-billed Sandpiper ______ (r/NA)
Limicola falcinellus (monotypic, and the single member of its genus) (Said by British Ornithologists Union in September 2012 to be in the genus Calidris)

The Broad-billed Sandpiper is a Eurasian species.
It has occurred rarely in the fall in the western and central Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Elsewhere in North America, there has been a record of a fall vagrant in coastal New York. Birds in North America (so far) have been juveniles.

Outside North America, the Broad-billed Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (rarely).
Ruff / Reeve (*) (ph) ______ (r/NA)   AK:may (PI) BC:sep NC:aug (r/NC)
Philomachus pugnax (monotypic, and the single member of its genus) (Said by the British Ornithologists Union in September 2012 to be in the genus Calidris)

The Ruff (male) and Reeve (female) is an Old World species.
In North America, it occurs rarely in western Alaska, and along the West Coast, the East Coast, and in the Great Lakes area. It has occurred more rarely elsewhere in North America, including, in the winter, in California. The species has bred in Alaska.

The Ruff was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Unusual was a Ruff, along with other shorebirds, at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on the North Carolina Outer Banks, during the FONT tour there in August 1994.
Another Ruff was seen during the FONT Pacific Coast Tour in British Columbia in 2000.

Outside North America, the Ruff has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden.
During an April FONT tour in Poland, as many as 5,000 Ruffs were seen, with most in breeding plumage with various colorations, and with many performing, or lekking, on mounds.

South of the US, the Ruff has been seen during a FONT tour in Barbados (a Caribbean island where European strays are found rather regularly).

This photo is of a Ruff in eastern North America in April
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (nt) (ph) ______ NC:sep
Tryngites subruficollis (monotypic, and the single member of its genus) (Said by the British Ornithologists Union in September 2012 to be in the genus Calidris)

South of the US, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper has been seen during FONT tours in Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul).

Buff-breasted Sandpiper
(photo by Howard Eskin)

DOWITCHERS
Short-billed Dowitcher (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) BC:sep CA:sep DE:may FL:apr NC:may,aug TX:mar,may WA:sep
Limnodromus griseus

SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
Limnodromus griseus caurinus ______ subspecies in southern Alaska and the Yukon, migrating to the central US and further south to Peru, described in 1950
Limnodromus griseus griseus ______ subspecies in northeast Canada, migrating to southern US and further south to Brazil
Limnodromus griseus hendersoni ______ subspecies in central Canada, migrating to the southeastern US and further south to Panama

South of the US, the Short-billed Dowitcher has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela.
Long-billed Dowitcher (*) (ph) ______ AK:jun AZ:jul,aug BC:sep CA:sep CO:apr NC:aug TX:apr,may WA:sep
Limnodromus scolopaceus (monotypic)

First described in 1823 from an expedition in western North America, the Long-billed Dowitcher remained a "good" species until 1921.
This was despite the contempt in which it was held by such naturalists as the sharp-tongued Dr. Elliot Coues, who declared that it was "supposed to be rare or casual on the Atlantic Coast and declared to be only representative of the genus in the west - which would be important if it were a fact".
Later authorities were also suspicious of the bird as a species, and in 1921 the AOU (American Ornithologists Union) demoted it to a subspecies, having been persuaded that a population of dowitchers breeding in Alberta, Canada was intermediate between griseus (the Short-billed Dowitcher) and scolopaceus, and that all three were therefore races of a single species.
But in 1957 the Long-billed Dowitcher was restored to the rank of a species. Research established to the satisfaction of the AOU that the bill and legs of scolopaceus are longer than those of griseus due to the habit of preferred feeding in fresh-water pools rather than shallow tidal flats, and that scolopaceus is a tundra bird breeding north & west of griseus.

Outside North America, the Long-billed Dowitcher has been seen, as a rarity, during a FONT tour in Iceland, and south of the US during FONT tours in Haiti, Mexico.

Long-billed Dowitcher
(photo by Howard Eskin)

SNIPES and WOODCOCKS
Wilson's Snipe (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) AZ:aug CO:apr,jul DE:may KS:apr NE:mar WA:sep WY:apr
Gallinago delicata (monotypic)

South of the US, the Wilson's Snipe has been seen during FONT tours in the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Saint Lucia.

The Wilson's Snipe was conspecific with the Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago, of Eurasia (the next bird in this list).

Above & below: Wilson's Snipes
(upper photo by Armas Hill; lower photo by Howard Eskin)
Common Snipe (ph) ______ (r/US)
Gallinago gallinago

The Common Snipe is a Eurasian species.
It occurs regularly in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, where it has bred and is found rarely in the winter. it occurs more rarely in the central Aleutians, the Pribilof Islands, and on St. Lawrence Island.

The Common Snipe was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Common Snipe has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey. The subspecies in Iceland is G. g. faeroeensis.
Pin-tailed Snipe ______ (r/NA)
Gallinago stenura (monotypic)

The Pin-tailed Snipe is an Old World species that breeds in Siberia and winters mostly in Southeast Asia.
There are at least 2 certain records in the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska.

Outside North America, the Pin-tailed Snipe has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.
Solitary Snipe ______ (r/US)
Gallinago solitaria

The Solitary Snipe is an east Asian bird.
One is said to have been on the Pribilof Islands, in Alaska, on September 10, 2008.

Outside North America, the Solitary Snipe has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, in the winter.
Jack Snipe ______ (r/NA)
Lymnocryptes minimus (monotypic, the single member of its genus)

The Jack Snipe is an Old World species. It is small, with thus a nickname, the "half-snipe".
There have been just a few North American occurrences: in the spring on the Pribilof Islands in Alaska, and in the fall in Labrador, Canada, and in California.

Outside North America, the Jack Snipe has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (on Hegura Island), Sweden.
American Woodcock (*) (ph) ______ DE:mar,may IA:mar NJP:dec
Scolopax minor (monotypic)

American Woodcock
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Eurasian Woodcock ______ (r/NA)
Scolopax rusticola (monotypic)

The Eurasian Woodcock is a widespread Old World species.
Most North American records are old and from the northeast US & eastern Canada.
Old records include: Newfoundland in 1862, Quebec twice in 1862, Pennsylvania in 1886 & 1890, New Jersey in 1859, and one as far south as Alabama in 1889.
The only accepted North American record in the 20th Century was one near Cape May, New Jersey, from January 2 to 5, 1956, although a lost specimen from Ohio, from 1935, may have been this species.

The Eurasian Woodcock was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Eurasian Woodcock has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Japan, Poland, Romania.

PHALAROPES
Wilson's Phalarope (*) ______ AZ:jul,aug,sep CA:sep CO:apr,jul DE:may KS:apr NC:aug TX:apr,may
Phalaropus tricolor (monotypic)

South of the US, the Wilson's Phalarope has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Chile, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico.
Red-necked Phalarope (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (ac) (PI) BC:sep CA:sep CAP:sep DE:may DEP:may,sep NC:aug NCP:may,jun,jul,aug NJP:may,jul,aug,sep WAP:sep
Phalaropus lobatus (monotypic)

The Red-necked Phalarope was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Red-necked Phalarope has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Ecuador, Iceland (as a nester), Japan (at sea), Turkey, and south of the US in Chile (at sea), Mexico.

Red-necked Phalarope
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Red Phalarope (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI) BC:sep CAP:sep DEP:may NJP:may,aug,nov,dec WAP:sep
Phalaropus fulicaria (monotypic)

Phalaropus fulicaria has been called the Grey Phalarope in the Old World, except in Iceland where because a few breed it is called Red Phalarope.

The Red Phalarope was described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Outside North America, the Red Phalarope has been seen during FONT tours in Chile (at sea), Ecuador (at sea), Iceland (as a nester), Japan (at sea).

A Red Phalarope in non-breeding plumage
Oriental Pratincole ______ (r/US)
Glareola maldivarum (monotypic)

The Oriental Pratincole is an Asian species that winters south to Australia.
It has occurred in Alaska: a specimen from Attu Island, in the Aleutians, May 19-20, 1985 and 1 at Gambell, on St. Lawrence Island on June 5, 1986.

The Collared Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, of Europe and Africa, has occurred (once) on the island of Barbados in the West Indies, and so could occur in eastern North America.

Outside North America, the Oriental Pratincole has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.

To Top of Page.