PECTORAL SANDPIPER

Photographed at Miranda, North Island, New Zealand, April, 2019

(*  499)                       PECTORAL SANDPIPER               Caladris melanotos 

NEW ZEALAND                119

Rare Arctic migrant. Breeds in Arctic North America. Migrates to South America. A few reach NZ each summer, often with Sharp-tailed Sandpipers on open marsh-turf flats of coastal lakes, especially Lake Wairarapa and Ellesmere, or in low-growing salt marsh of estuaries.

COX'S SANDPIPER

Photographed at Werribee treatment Plant, Victoria December 2015

736              COX'S SANDPIPER           calidris paramelanotos

Australia          (579)

Only described in the last twenty years. It is a natural hybrid between Curlew Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper. c. 19 cm. Found on the muddy edges of wetlands, fresh, brackish and saline, coastal and inland; sewerage ponds, salt farms, tidal mudflats. Summer migrant to mostly se. Just., from unknown breeding grounds, possibly e. Siberia. Specimens from SA, sight records from Q., Vic., NSW, Tas., and WA.

(at the rear)

PECTORAL SANDPIPER

Photographed at Werribee Wetlands, Victoria February 2015

499          PECTORAL SANDPIPER           Calidris melanotos

Australia           (340)

19-23 cm. Breeds ne. Siberia and American Arctic: most migrate to S. America, but some to Japan, Pacific Islands, PNG, NZ and Aust., mostly to se mainland from Adelaide to Brisbane, Tasmania, sw WA up near Shark Bay, top of WA across to Darwin, around Cooktown (Q). Found in shallow freshwater, often with low grass or other herbage, swamp margins, flooded pastures, sewerage ponds, occasionally taidal areas and salt marshes.