What is it?

[Arthur Morris]

What's the species? Why? Image created on May 30. Can you age it, adult or juvenile?

[P-A. Fortin]

I would say white-rumped because of the reddish bill base.

On the age, I would say 2nd year because of the worn coverts combined with the primaries that still look rather fresh.

[This is soooo much fun!]

[Arthur Morris]

I would say white-rumped because of the reddish bill base.

On the age, I would say 2nd year because of the worn coverts combined with the primaries that still look rather fresh.

[This is soooo much fun!]

Good job. What structural features pointed you in the right direction. Not sure of the 2nd year bit but is surely is an adult in breeding plumage.

[P-A. Fortin]

To be honest, I used no structural features I had never seen such a reddish bill base, so I thought it could be a distinctive feature and started to look it up.

I guess the bill lenght, its downward curve and the legs color would have helped narrowing it down to a few species. Maybe the reddish crown and the spots on the chest, but I do not know if any of these (or combinaison) is specific to this species.

[Arthur Morris]

To be honest, I used no structural features I had never seen such a reddish bill base, so I thought it could be a distinctive feature and started to look it up.

I guess the bill lenght, its downward curve and the legs color would have helped narrowing it down to a few species. Maybe the reddish crown and the spots on the chest, but I do not know if any of these (or combinaison) is specific to this species.

Two other species, Purple Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper have orange bases to the bill. The key structural feature here are the long wings that go well past the tail. Only two peeps have it: Baird's and white-rumpeds. Baird's in any plumage is much plainer than this bird.

[P-A. Fortin]

In my guides, purple and pectoral have both mandible's base colored while white-rumped only has the base of the lower mandible colored. Is this specific to white-rumped or is it possible to encounter individuals of all 3 species with either or both mandible's base colored?

[Arthur Morris]

Not sure but likely the latter. IAC, the differences in the 3 species are dramatic so there is no need to use that distinction to ID the species....

[Arthur Morris]

ps: I should have mentioned that anyone interested in shorebirds should get themselves a copy of my Shorebirds Beautiful Beachcombers here.