Shore Bird Identification Chart
Useful field marks for identifying Florida shorebirds in their winter plumage.
SANDPIPERS SIZE BILL LEGS AND FEET NOTES
MOSTLY PLAIN BACKS
Willet large (crow size) gray - several inches gray wing pattern - striking
Dunlin medium black drooping at end black sewing machine eating, has a bib
Red Knot medium black dull olive not anything else - knot
Western Sandpiper tiny black drooping at end black white goes right up to the chin
Spotted Sandpiper small dull yellowish, grayish yellowish pumps tail,loner, no spots
MOSTLY PATTERNED BACKS
Greater Yellowlegs large longer than head width, up tilted bright yellow white speckles on back
Lesser Yellowlegs medium-large as long as head width, straight bright yellow white speckles on back
Short-billed Dowitcher medium Very long for bird size yellowish feathers outlined on back, sewing machine eating, rufous cap, eyeline
Ruddy Turnstone small short orange striking patterns back and neck
Least Sandpiper tiny black drooping at end yellowish feathers outlined on back, has a bib
PLOVERS SIZE BILL LEGS AND FEET NOTES
Killdeer medium short black flesh colored TWO bands on neck
Black-bellied Plover medium medium black as run through, pencil sharpener black no black belly, LARGE BEADY EYE
Wilson's Plover small large for plover - black yellowish mud colored back
Semi-palmated Sandpiper tiny tiny, black, orange base orange-ish mud colored back
PALE BACKS (mostly on beach)
Sanderling small black black white bar under shoulder
Piping Plover tiny black maybe orange base orange-ish orange-ish pale sandy
Snowy Plover tiny black gray pale sandy grayish
BIG GUYS (An Event) SIZE BILL LEGS AND FEET NOTES
Marbled Godwit very large long upturned pink base black brownish speckled
Long-billed Curlew very large extremely long tan brownish speckled