General
Pectoral Sandpiper: Medium sandpiper with scaled, dark brown upperparts, heavily streaked brown breast, plain white belly. Crown, eyestripe are dark brown. Faint wing-bar and black rump with white edges are visible in flight. Legs are yellow or yellow-green and the bill is olive, darkening towards the tip. Juveniles have a brighter, finer pattern and are more rufous in colour. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Zigzag pattern when flushed.
Range and Habitat
Pectoral Sandpiper: A scarce migrant to the UK and Ireland. In recent years it has been found breeding in Scotland. Breeds on Arctic tundra in Russia and North America. Winters in South America, Australia, and New Zealand. May be found on any wetland area, although they prefer freshwater areas.
Breeding and Nesting
Pectoral Sandpiper: Breeds in coastal tundra. Four white to olive eggs blotched with dark brown are laid in a cup of grass and leaves hidden in a grassy, slightly elevated area on the ground. Female incubates the eggs for 21 to 23 days.
Foraging and Feeding
Pectoral Sandpiper: In the breeding season, they feed mainly on flies, spiders, and seeds. During migration, they also feed on small freshwater and marine crustaceans and insects.
Vocalisation
Pectoral Sandpiper: Call is a series of repeated "churrrt churrrt" with occasional "krrrek."
Similar Species
Pectoral Sandpiper: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper has paler breast and rufous-brown crown. Other sandpipers lack the strongly striped brown breast.