Biologybase: Birds: Shorebirds of the World

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Shorebirds of the World

a checklist

by Robert B. Hole, Jr.

Ranges given are, of course, rough guides. I made no attempt to be specific in most cases. In migratory species, I chose to include all the area between winter and breeding ranges, as the birds may be seen there during migration.
specific notes: western South America is generally that area west of the Andes Mountains, and may include those mountains.
Though all spelling and interpretation errors are mine, the names and ranges primarily follow: Hayman, P., J. Marchant and T. Prater. 1986. Shorebirds an identification guide to the waders of the world. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.412 pp. which can be found through Ecology Designs along with other bird related gifts and books.

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Jacanidae Haematopodidae Burhnindae Pluvianellidae

Rostratulidae Ibidohrynchidae Glareolidae Scolopacidae

Dromadidae Recurvirostridae Charadriidae Thrinocoridae

Family Jacanidae Lesser Jacana Microparra capensis Range: subsaharan Africa African Jacana Actophilornis africana Range: subsaharan Africa Madagascar Jacana Actophilornis albinucha Range: Madagascar Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea Range: N. Australia, Indonesia Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus Range: southern Asia Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus Range: southern Asia Northern Jacana Jacana spinosa Range: central America, Caribbean Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana Range: South America return to top
Family Rostratulidae Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis Range: old world tropics South American Painted Snipe Nycticryphes semicollaris Range: southern South America return to top
Family Dromadidae Crab Plover Dromas ardeola Range: coastal southwestern Asia and eastern Africa return to top
Family Haematopodidae Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Range: Eurasia American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus Range: southern North America, through South America, coastally American Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani Range: coastal western North America African Black Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini Range: southern African coast Canarian Black Oystercatcher Haematopus meadewaldoi Range: Canary Islands Variable Oystercatcher Haematopus unicolor Range: New Zealand Chatham Islands Oystercatcher Haematopus chathamensis Range: Chatham Islands, east of New Zealand Magellanic Oystercatcher Haematopus leucopodus Range: extreme southern South America Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris Range: coastal Australia Blackish Oystercatcher Haematopus ater Range: coastal southern and western South America Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus Range: coastal Australia return to top	Please support this site! Check out Ecology Designs for gifts and books.
Family Ibidorhynchidae Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii Range: south-central Asia return to top
Family Recurvirostridae Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Range: worldwide Black Stilt Himantopus novaezelandiae Range: New Zealand Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus Range: southern Australia Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Range: Africa, Eurasia American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Range: North America Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae Range: Australia Andean Avocet Recurvirostra andina Range: central Andes, South America return to top
Family Burhinidae Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus Range: Europe, southwestern Asia, north Africa Senegal Thick-knee Burhinus senegalensis Range: central Africa Water Dikkop Burhinus vermiculatus Range: subsaharan Africa Spotted Dikkop Burhinus capensis Range: subsaharan Africa Double-striped Thick-knee Burhinus bistriatus Range: central America, northern South America, Caribbean Peruvian Thick-knee Burhinus superciliaris Range: coastal Peru, South America Bush Thick-knee Burhinus magnirostris Range: Australia Great Thick-knee Esacus Burhinus recurvirostris Range: India, Malaysia Beach Thick-knee Esacus Burhinus magnirostris Range: from southern Malaysia through Australia return to top
Family Glareolidae Egyptian Plover Pluvianus aegyptius Range: subsaharan Africa (spotty) Two-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus Range: eastern and southern Africa Heuglin's Courser Rhinoptilus cinctus Range: eastern Africa Violet-tipped Courser Rhinoptilus chalcopterus Range: subsaharan Africa Jerdon's Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus Range: southeastern India Cream-colored Courser Cursoius cursor Range: saharan Africa Burchell's Courser Cursoius rufus Range: southern Africa, and the horn of Africa Indian Courser Cursoius coromandelicus Range: India Temminick's Courser Cursoius temminckii Range: subsaharan Africa Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella Range: Indonesia, Australia Common Pratincole Glareola pratincola Range: Europe, european Asia, Africa Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum Range: southern Asia through Australia Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni Range: european Asia, Africa Madagascar Pratincole Glareola ocularis Range: Madagascar, adjacent Africa Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis Range: subsaharan Africa Grey Pratincole Glareola cinerea Range: western central Africa Little Pratincole Glareola lactea Range: India and Malaysia return to top
Family Charadriidae Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Range: Eurasia Long-toed Lapwing Vanellus crassirostris Range: southeastern Africa Blacksmith Plover Vanellus spinosus Range: southern Africa Spur-winged Plover Vanellus spinosus Range: central Africa, Nile River Valley, adjacent southern Asia River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii Range: southeast Asia Black-headed Plover Vanellus tectus Range: central Africa just south of the sahara Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus Range: India Senegal Wattled Plover Vanellus senegallus Range: subsaharan Africa White-headed Lapwing Vanellus albiceps Range: subsaharan Africa Senegal Plover Vanellus lugubris Range: south-central Africa Black-winged Plover Vanellus melanopterus Range: eastern Africa (spotty) Brown-chested Plover Vanellus superciliosus Range: central Africa Spot-breasted Plover Vanellus melanocephalus Range: local area in northeastern Africa Sociable Plover Vanellus gregarius Range: european Asia, southwestern Asia, northeastern Africa White-tailed Plover Vanellus leucurus Range: european Asia, southwestern Asia, northeastern Africa Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus Range: southern and eastern Africa Pied Plover Vanellus cayanus Range: central and northern South America Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis Range: South America Andean Lapwing Vanellus resplendens Range: central Andes, South America Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus Range: northeastern China, Japan, Malaysia Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus Range: southern Asia Javanese Wattled Lapwing Vanellus macropterus Range: Java Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor Range: southern Australia Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles Range: eastern Australia, New Guinea Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria Range: Europe and western Asia Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Range: tropical Pacific basin and adjacent areasAmerican Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Range: new world Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Range: world wide New Zealand Dotterel Charadrius obscurus Range: New Zealand Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Range: Asia, Africa, Greenland and adjacent North America Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus Range: North and South America Long-billed Plover Charadrius placidus Range: eastern Asia Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Range: Eurasia, Indonesia, Africa Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia Range: southern North America through northern South America Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Range: North America through northern South America Piping Plover Charadrius melodus Range: eastern North America Black-banded Sandplover Charadrius thoracicus Range: southern Madagascar Kittlitz's Sandplover Charadrius pecuarius Range: subsaharan Africa St. Helena Plover Charadrius sanctaehelenae Range: St. Helena Island, west of central Africa Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris Range: central eastern and southern Africa Forbes's Plover Charadrius forbesi Range: central western Africa Snowy (Kentish) Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Range: world wide White-fronted Sandplover Charadrius marginatus Range: subsaharan Africa Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus Range: Australia Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii Range: southern Malaysia, Indonesia Chestnut-banded Sandplover Charadrius pallidus Range: southern Africa Collared Plover Charadrius collaris Range: Central and South America Puna Plover Charadrius alticola Range: central Andes, South America Double-banded Plover Charadrius bicinctus Range: Australia, New Zealand Two-banded Plover Charadrius falklandicus Range: coastal southern South America Lesser Sandplover Charadrius mongolus Range: Asia through Australia and eastern Africa Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii Range: Asia through Australia and eastern Africa Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus Range: southcentral Asia, eastern Africa Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus Range: eastern Asia through Australia Rufous-chested Dotterel Charadrius modestus Range: southern South America Mountain Plover Charadrius montanus Range: western North America Black-fronted Plover Charadrius melanops Range: Australia, New Zealand Red-kneed Dotterel Charadrius cinctus Range: Australia Hooded Plover Charadrius rubricollis Range: southern Australia Shore Plover Thinornis novaeseelandiae Range: Southeast Island, Chatham Islands Wrybill Anarhynchus frontalis Range: New Zealand Diademed Plover Phegornis mitchellii Range: Andes, South America Inland Dotterel Peltohyas australis Range: Australia Eurasian Dotterel Eudromias morinellus Range: Eurasia, northern Africa Tawny-throated Dotterel Oreopholus ruficollis Range: western and southern south America return to top
Family Pluvianellidae Magellanic Plover Pluvianellus socialis Range: southern South America return to top
Family Scolopacidae Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Range: old world Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica Range: new world Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica Range: old world Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa Range: North and Central America Little Curlew Numenius minutus Range: Asia through Australia Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis Range: North and South America locally (possibley extinct) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Range: world wide Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis Range: western Alaska (North America) and southern Pacific islands Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris Range: locally in central Asia and northern Africa Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata Range: Eurasia through Africa Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis Range: north east Asia through Australia Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Range: North America Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Range: North and South America Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Range: Asia and Africa Redshank Tringa totanus Range: Asia and Africa Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Range: Asia, Africa, Australia Greenshank Tringa nebularia Range: Asia, Africa, Australia Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer Range: coastal eastern and southeastern Asia, locally Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Range: new world Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Range: new world Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Range: Asia and Africa Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Range: new world Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Range: old world Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus Range: North America, Caribbean, Central America, northern South America Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Range: Old World Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Range: old world Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia Range: new world Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes Range: eastern Asia through Australia Wandering Tattler Heteroscelus incanus Range: western North America, south Pacific Tuamotu Sandpiper Prosobonia cancellata Range: Tuamotu island, southcentral Pacific White-winged Sandpiper Prosobonia leucoptera Range: Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Range: world wide Black Turnstone Arenaria melanocephala Range: western North America Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Range: new world Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Range: world wide in migration, breeds in high arctic, winters in southern Asia, Indonesia, and off western South America as well as locally in Africa and western coastal North America Grey Phalarope Phalaorpus fulicarius Range: world wide in migration, breeds in high arctic, winters off western coast of South America, and western Africa Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Range: Eurasia, north Africa Amami Woodcock Scolopax mira Range: Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan Dusky Woodcock Scolopax saturata Range: Indonesia Celebes Woodcock Scolopax celebensis Range: Celebes islands Obi Woodcock Scolopax rochussenii Range: locally Indonesia, possibly (probably) extinct American Woodcock Scolopax minor Range: eastern North America New Zealand Snipe Coenocorypha aucklandica Range: southern New Zealand Chatham Islands Snipe Coenocorypha pusilla Range: Chatham Islands Solitary Snipe Gallinago solitaria Range: eastern Asia Japanese Snipe Gallinago hardwickii Range: Japan to eastern Australia Wood Snipe Gallinago nemoricola Range: southeastern Asia through India Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura Range: eastern Asia Swinhoe's Snipe Gallinago megala Range: eastcentral Asia through northern Australia African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis Range: subsaharan eastern Africa Madagascar Snipe Gallinago macrodactyla Range: Madagascar Great Snipe Gallinago media Range: Europe, european Asia, Africa Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Range: worldwide north of equator Magellan Snipe Gallinago paraguaiae Range: South America Noble Snipe Gallinago nobilis Range: northwestern South America Giant Snipe Gallinago undulata Range: northern and east central South America Cordilleran Snipe Gallinago stricklandii Range: southern South America Andean Snipe Gallinago jamesoni Range: northern Andes, South America Imperial Snipe Gallinago imperialis Range: local, Peru, South America Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus Range: Eurasia, Africa Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Range: North America through central South America, primarily coastally in winter Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Range: coastal Siberia, Alaska, western south and southern North America Asiatic Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus Range: Asia to Australia Surfbird Aphriza Limnodromus virgata Range: western coasts of North, Central and South America Red Knot Calidris canutus Range: world wide Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris Range: east Asia through Australia Sanderling Calidris alba Range: world wide Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Range: North America through central South America, coastally Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri Range: North America to northern South America Red-necked Stint Calidris minuta Range: eastern Asia through Australia Little Stint Calidris minuta Range: Asia through Africa Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii Range: Asia through central Africa Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta Range: eastern Asia through Australia Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Range: North America thorugh central South America White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Range: new world Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Range: new world Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Range: new world, east Asia through Australia Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata Range: east Asia through Australia Cox's Sandpiper Calidris paramelanotos Range: southern Australia Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima Range: coastal northwestern Eurasia and eastern North America Rock Sandpiper Calidris ptilocnemis Range: northern Pacific basin, Japan through central California (USA) Dunlin Calidris alpina Range: new world north of tropics, old world north of equator Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferrugnea Range: Asia through Africa and Australia Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmaeus Range: coastal eastern Siberia through southern Asia Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Range: northern Europe, Asia, though Australia Stilt Sandpiper Micropalama himantopus Range: new world Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Range: new world Ruff Philomachus pugnax Range: old world return to top
Family Thinocoridae Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe Attagis gayi Range: western South America White-bellied Seedsnipe Attagis malouinus Range: southern South America Grey-breasted Seedsnipe Thinocorus orbignyianus Range: western South America Least Seedsnipe Thinocorus rumicivorus Range: western and southern South America return to top

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Jacanidae	Haematopodidae	Burhnindae	Pluvianellidae
Rostratulidae	Ibidohrynchidae	Glareolidae	Scolopacidae
Dromadidae	Recurvirostridae	Charadriidae	Thrinocoridae