Saltmarsh Sandpipers

LET'S GO BIRDING | By Laura Carberry, Director of Properties

It's shorebird season and those sandpipers that frequent some of Rhode Island’s marshes are hard to miss, but not always easy to identify. The three sandpipers I am highlighting are Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs and the Willet. These three birds are common to our area and are often seen together, making it easier to pick out their identifying characteristics. The tricky part is when they are seen alone.

The Yellowlegs and Willet will most often be found in saltwater marshes or on sandbars, not along the ocean coastline. Willets will nest in Rhode Island, but we will see both Yellowlegs throughout migration and into the winter.

When I am teaching people to identify sandpipers, I start with the basics. You want to look at the length of their legs and then at the bill. These two features are the first steps in identification. When looking in a field guide, most sandpipers are put into groups according to their size and shape.

When you first spot one of these birds, focus on the leg color. If you see long yellow legs, it’s one of the Yellowlegs, but if the legs are bluish gray, you are looking at a Willet.

Willets are a more robust bird than the Yellowlegs. They have a thick grayish bill. And in flight, Willets are unmistakable due to their distinct white wing stripe and dark rounded wings. They love to make noise! They are usually flying around the marsh, especially during the breeding season, screaming “Pilly Will Willet,” over and over again.

Lesser or Greater Yellowlegs are the most common large yellow-legged bird on the marsh. If the two are standing next to one another, you will be able to notice the size difference. If not, notice the overall appearance of the birds. Does the bird look dainty? You've got a Lesser. If it is more solid looking, it’s a Greater.

Then look at the bill. The Greater Yellowlegs has a bill that is 1.5 times the length of its head. It can also look slightly upturned. The Lesser Yellowlegs has a slimmer shorter bill. The behavior of a Greater Yellowlegs is also more frantic as it searches for food. It runs and spins around. The Lesser tends to be slow-moving. Finally, if you can hear their calls, the Greater Yellowlegs will call three or four “Tu-tu-tu-tu” notes; where the Lesser Yellowlegs will only call one or two notes.

With some careful observation you will be able to distinguish these three birds apart like a pro! Great places to search for these birds are Charlestown Breachway, Touisset Marsh and Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuges.

Join Audubon for the upcoming Shorebird Van Trip on August 21, 2024 or Wednesday Morning Birds Walks that start up again in September. Visit asri.org/calendar to register.