Upland Sandpiper

Bartramia longicauda

Also known as:Upland Plover, Bartram's Sandpiper

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

28-30 cm (11-12") Fairly common. Prairies, open grasslands, meadows, hayfields.

A pigeon-sized, pigeon-headed, long-necked, inland sandpiper; mottled brown upperparts, paler below; large dark eyes; short, thin, yellow bill; long, yellow legs; relatively long wings and tail. Perches on posts and poles where it briefly holds its wings erect upon landing.

Song: unique, whistled, trills and mournful wind-like sounds; "pulip-pulip" flight call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Credit: Rick Bond

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Upland Sandpipers - Dunn Ranch

Credit: Chrissy & Andy

Upland Sandpiper

Credit: Graham Etherington

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Upland Sandpiper

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 4

Did the breast streaking end abruptly like a bib ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Chicken-like ground bird · Sandpiper-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:585-upland-sandpiper:1:1 Source: 585 Upland Sandpiper, row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 2

Did the breast streaking end abruptly like a bib ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Chicken-like ground bird · Sandpiper-like
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:585-upland-sandpiper:2:1 Source: 585 Upland Sandpiper, row 2