Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria Wilson, A, 1813

Solitary Sandpiper, Tringa solitaria, is a sandpiper of North America in the breeding season and of inland wetlands across Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and into South America when it is not breeding. It nests in the taiga muskeg zone from Alaska and north-western Canada east to Quebec, with breeding also reaching eastern British Columbia and Labrador. A dark rump and tail centre set it apart in flight from the similar Green Sandpiper. It is a migratory bird, and it is usually seen alone, though small numbers may gather where feeding conditions suit them.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Scolopacidae — Sandpipers, Snipes

Breeding range

North America: subarctic to temperate zone taiga muskeg of Nearctic: Alaska mainland (except far n), nw to sw Canada, e s of Hudson and James bays and n of Great Lakes to e Quebec (at least)

Nonbreeding range

MA, SA, Caribbean : inland subtropical to tropical small wetlands of Neotropics: wc Mexico, s Texas, and throughout the Caribbean to c Peru and nc Argentina