1) Ape ‘Ona o eh + Tssued May 18, 1912. U.S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BIOLOGICAL SURVEY—BULLETIN No. 35, Revised HENRY W. HENSHAW, Chief “DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATION OF NORTH AMPRICAN SHOREBIRDS BY WELLS W. COOKE Assistant, Biological Survey tit Iss lites (See Be le: = ‘= S| a= po = Ss 0 Ne a ie ener Re -\rle'e 84 DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATION OF NORTH AMERICAN 7 SHOREBIRDS. INTRODUCTION. Shorebirds form a valuable national resource, and it is the plain duty of the present generation to pass on to posterity this asset undiminished in value. Consistent and intelligent legislation in favor of any group of birds must be founded on extended, accurate information, and must include knowledge of the breeding and distri- bution of the birds—where they spend the summer, whither they retire in winter, and when and by what routes they migrate. The present bulletin supplies this needed information so far as it is now available. Consideration of our shorebirds (Limicolz) from an economic point of view is recent. The early settlers found ducks, geese, and swans swarming in certain sections of the United States, and grouse and turkeys very abundant. The size and toothsomeness of these birds made them important objects of pursuit for food, while the shore- birds were considered unworthy of notice. As the great flocks of ducks and geese along the Atlantic coast diminished in numbers, the attention of gunners, especially of market hunters, was turned to the shorebirds, then in countless numbers. A generation of constant harassment spring and fall has almost exterminated some of the larger species and has very greatly reduced even the smaller ones. The time has come when this indiscriminate slaughter must cease if the present remnant of the shorebirds is to be preserved. The range of our shorebirds extends from ocean to ocean, so that all parts of the United States have an interest in their preservation. These birds feed naturally in the open country or along the open shore, where they are easily found and are constantly subject to attack. The prairies of the Mississippi Valley in past years formed the great highway of spring migration. Flock followed flock in almost endless succession across the prairies of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas, over a region that of late years has passed under the plow. As this area becomes more densely populated the shore- birds, once so abundant, are likely to become extinct unless active measures are taken for their preservation. There are excellent reasons for protecting and preserving the shorebirds. Some of them, especially the several kinds of plovers, 5 6 NORTH AMERICAN SHOREBIEDS. perform important service In destroyimg noxious msecis of many of them, even of the smaller kinds, has a high food vel? and some of the larger species—the upland, golden, and — plovers, and the curlews—were m the times of ther abundz: important articles of diet. Their pursuit for sport, when eae are shot over decoys, demands a high degree of skiil, and is a favorite pas- time of many hunters. Norshould the esthetic side of the question be ignored. ‘The graceful forms and motions of these birds as they feed at the edge of the breakers are an interesting sight to thousands of seashore visitors. The silencmeg of their melodious calls would be a loss to every lover of nature. Fimally, 1t may be said m their favor that not one of the shorebirds ever does any harm, while many have proved of great value to agriculture. Their accounts have only a credit side. The shorebirds are among the most widely distributed of all birds. As far to the northward as man has found land shorebirds breed, while m winter they visit the tropical and Antarctic shores. The distances traversed in their migrations probably average greater than those of any other family, and the shorebirds probably exceed all others in the number of miles traveled im a single flicht. DISTRIBUTION. The shorebirds are represented m North Amenca by 76 species and 9 subspecies, a total of 85 recognized forms . teat the follveines 7 of these do SG SAR SRE AEE LAI se a Sours#2n Sracrms not Raweme Norts ro taz Uncrep States. Rutous-naped plover (Ochthodromus wil- | Cayenne lapwing (Ho plony pierus Cayanus ). sonius rujinuchus). Azara rine plover ( Agandites collars). Stone curlew (Edicnemus bistrintus). Santo Domimego killdeer (Omyechus worrj- Oolombian jacana (Parra melanopygi). erus torquatus). Black jacana (Parra nigra). There remain 78 species and subspecies that occur m the United States and northward, but 5 of these are found only m Greenland, as follows: Eveorzan Srpcres Occuremvc my Norrs Awe, onty In GREENLAND. European snipe (Gallinago gallinago). Golden plover (Charadrius apricarms)). Block-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa). | Oyster-caittcher (Hematopus ostralegus)). Whimbrel (Numenius pirzopus). . Fifteen other species from the Eastern Hemisp as stragglers on the maimland of North America: Sreaccizes In Norra America rrom Tae Eastsen Hewisrsem ae woodcock (Scolopar rusticola). | Red-chank (Totanus toionus). Great snipe (Gallimago medu). Green sandpiper (Helodromas ocrophus)). Long-toed Stimt (Pzsobw damacensis). Labs sand piper (Ahyacophilus glareola). (Pelidna alpina). Rui (Pavoncella pugnar). Carew sand piper (Hrolia ferrwoinea). | ( Vanellus mnmeline). poe sandpiper (Hurynorhynchus | Dotterel (Hudromias m ringed plover (Bayoalitin dubia). IIMLUS ) Grecaahank (Glotts nebular). Mongolian plover (Agwalites mongol). DISTRIBUTION. 7 Deducting these, there are 58 species of shorebirds that belong to the regular avifauna of North America north of Mexico. Not all of these, however, occur in the United States. The sharp-tailed sand- piper is a regular migrant through Alaska, but is not found elsewhere in North America. The Pacific godwit, bristle-thighed curlew, and Pacific golden plover breed in Alaska and migrate thence to Asia and the Pacific islands. The ringed plover breeds in northeastern North America and migrates to Europe. The turnstone breeds in both northeastern and northwestern Arctic America, but migrates to Europe, Asia, and the Pacific islands without coming regularly to the United States; while the Aleutian and the Pribilof sandpipers both breed and winter in Alaska. A further deduction of these 8 species leaves 50 species which regularly visit the United States during some part of the year. The shorebirds as a group are far northern Hindedleres The ma- jority of them breed in the region of the Arctic Circle, and several - range north to the known limits of land. The majority do not breed so far south as the United States, and hence are known there only as migrants, or in the winter season. SPECIES THAT BREED WHOLLY NorvTH OF THE UNITED STATES. Red phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius). Northern phalarope (Lobipes lobatus). Dowitcher (Macrorhamphus griseus). Long-billed dowitcher (Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus). Stilt cee as (Micropalama himanto- pus). Knot (Tringa canutus). Purple sandpiper (Arquatella maritima). Aleutian sandpiper (Arquatella maritima couest). Pribilof sandpiper (Arquatella maritima ptilocnemis). Sharp-tailed sandpiper (Pisobia auriia). Pectoral sandpiper (Pisobia_maculaia). White-rumped sandpiper (Pisobia fusci- collts). Baird sandpiper (Pisobia bairdt). Least sandpiper (Pisobia minutilla). Red-backed sandpiper (Pelidna alpina gakhalina). Semipalmated sandpiper (Hreunetes pu- sillus). Western sandpiper (Hrewnetes maurt). Sanderling (Calidris leucophxa). Pacific godwit (Limosa lapponica bauert). Hudsonian godwit (Limosa hemastica). Be se yellow-lees (Totanus melanoleu- cus). Yellow-legs (Totanus flavipes). Wandering tattler (Heteractitis incanus). Bufi-breasted sandpiper ( Tryngites subru- jicollis). Hudsonian curlew (Numenius hudsonicus). Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis). Bristle-thighed curlew (Numenius tahiti- ensis). ore -bellied plover (Squatarola squata- rola Golden plover (Charadrius dominicus). Pacific golden plover (Charadrius domini- cus fulvus). Semipalmated plover (Agialiiis semipal- mata). Ringed plover (Agialitis hiaticula). Surf bird (Aphriza virgata). Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). Ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres mo- rinella). Black turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala). SPECIES THAT BREED IN Botu THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. Wilson phalarope (Steganopus tricolor). Avocet (Recurvirostra americana). Woodcock (Philohela minor). Wilson snipe (Gallinago delacata). Marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa). Solitary sandpiper (Helodromas solitar- qs). Western solitary sandpiper (Helodromas salitartus cinnamomeus). Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus). Western willet (Catoptrophorus semipal- matus mornatus). Upland plover (Bartramia longicauda). Spotted sandpiper (Acittis macularia). Long-billed curlew (Numenius america- nus). Killdeer (Oxyechus vociferus). Piping plover (gialitis meloda). Black oyster-catcher (Hematopus bach- mani). 8 NORTH AMERICAN SHOREBIRDS. SPECIES THAT DO NOT BREED NortH OF THE UNITED STATES, wiTH NoRTHERN Liuit oF BREEDING RANGE. Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexica- nus), Oregon. Snowy plover (Zgzalitis nivosa), Nevada. Wilson plover (Ochthodromus wilsontus), Virginia. Mountain plover (Podasocys montanus), Montana. Oyster-catcher (Hzmatopus palliatus), South Carolina. Frazar oyster-catcher (Hematopus fra- zart), California. Mexican jacana (Jacana spinosa), Texas. SPECIES THAT BREED CHIEFLY NORTH OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE, WITH THE NORTHERN- Most LATITUDE AT WHICH THE SPECIES HAS BEEN OBSERVED IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. Red phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius), 82° Northern phalarope (Lobzpes lobatus), 74°. Long-billed dowitcher (Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus), 71°. Stilt sandpiper (Micropalama himanio- pus), 69°. Knot (Tringa canutus), 83°. Purple sandpiper (Arquatella maritima), 74° Pectoral sandpiper (Pisobia maculata), fd os White-rumped sandpiper (Pisobia fusci- collis), 69°. Baird sandpiper (Pisobia bairdt), 71°. Least sandpiper (Pisobia minutilla), 70°. Red-backed sandpiper (Pelidna alpina sakhalina), 72°. Semipalmated sandpiper (Hreunetes pusil- lus), 7L°: ( Sanderling (Calidris leucophexa), 82°. Hudsonian godwit (Limosa hzmastica), 69°. Buff-breasted sandpiper ( Tryngites subru- jicollts), 71°. Hudsonian curlew (Numenius hudsoni- cus), 69°. Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis), 69°. Black-bellied plover (Squatarola squata- rola), 71°. Golden plover (Charadrius dominicus), Pacific golden plover (Charadrius domini- cus fulvus), 65°. Semipalmated plover (Zgialitis semipal- mata), 75°. Ringed plover (gialitis hiaticula), 78°. Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), 83°. Ruddy turnstone (Arenaria inter pres mori- nella), 74°. SPECIES THAT BREED IN BotH EASTERN AND WESTERN HEMISPHERES. Red phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius). Northern phalarope (Lobipes lobatus). Knot (Tringa canutus). Purple sandpiper (Arquatella maritima). Sanderling (Calidris leucophza). Pacific godwit (Limosa lapponica bauert). Black-bellied plover (Squatarola squata- rola). Pacific golden plover (Charadrius domini- cus fulvus). Ringed plover (gialitis hiaticula). — Turnstone (Arenaria interpres). SPECIES THAT WINTER IN THE UNITED STATES AND SOUTHWARD. Avocet (Recurvirostra americana). Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mezi- canus). Woodcock (Philohela minor). Wilson snipe (Gallinago delicata). Dowitcher ( Macrorhamphus griseus). Long-billed dowitcher (Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus). Purple sandpiper (Arquatella maritima). Least sandpiper (Pisobia minutilla). Red-backed sandpiper (Pelidna alpina sakhalina). Semipalmated sand piper (Erewnetes pusil- lus.) . Western sandpiper (Hreunetes maurt). Sanderling (Calidris leucophea). Marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa). Greater yellow-legs (Totanus melano- leucus. ) Yellow-legs ( Totanus flavipes). Western willet (Catoptrophorus semipal- matus nornatus). - Spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularia). Long-billed curlew (Numenius ameri- canus). Black-bellied plover (Squatarola squat- arola). Killdeer (Oxyechus vociferus). Semipalmated plover (Agialitis semipal- mata). Piping plover (Agialitis meloda). Snowy plover (Aigialitis nivosa). Wilson plover (Ochthodromus wilsonius). Mountain plover (Podasocys montanus). Ruddy turnstone (Arenaria_