Photo by Jvhigbee
- Actitis macularia
Identification
18-20cm
- Brown upperparts
- White below, spotted black
- White wing stripe
- Short yellow legs
- Orange bill with a black tip
Non-breeding birds do not have the spotted underparts.
Similar Species
Distribution
Breeds North America (Canada and the United States); winters to southern South America
A regular vagrant to Europe. There is thought to have been a breeding attempt in Scotland.
Taxonomy
Monotypic
One subspecies (A. m. ravus) is recognised by some authorities[2]
Habitat
Fresh water, ponds, streams, and other waterways, both inland and along coasts.
Behaviour
Breeding
They nest on the ground. Females may mate with more than one male, leaving incubation to them.
Diet
The diet includes insects, crustaceans and other invertebrates, from the ground or in the water. They may also catch insects in flight.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Avibase
- Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
- Wikipedia
