Upland Sandpiper
Upland Sandpiper
Conservation status
Numbers probably increased in the early days of settlement, up through the early 1800s, as forest was turned
into farmland in eastern North America. During the period of commercial hunting in the late 1800s, great numbers
were shot, and the population dropped sharply. Since that time, Upland Sandpipers have recovered in a few areas.
Their numbers are apparently holding steady on parts of Great Plains, but in much of the east and northeast they
are now very local.
Family -Sandpipers
Habitat
Grassy prairies, open meadows, fields. Favored nesting habitat is native grassland, with mixture of tall grass
and broad-leafed weeds. In the northeast, where natural grassland is now scarce, may be found most often on
airports. In migration, stops on open pastures, lawns. Almost never on mudflats or other typical shorebird
habitats.
The ghostly, breathy whistle of the Upland Sandpiper is one of the characteristic sounds of spring on the
northern Great Plains. The bird sings sometimes from the tops of fenceposts or poles, but often on the wing,
flying high with shallow, fluttering wingbeats. When it lands, it may be hard to see in the tall grass of its
typical habitat. Because of its short bill and round-headed shape, was once called "Upland Plover," but it is a
true sandpiper, and apparently a close relative of the curlews.
Feeding Behavior
Forages by walking through the grass, with rather abrupt or jerky movements, picking up items from ground or
from vegetation.
Eggs
4 Pale buff to pinkish-buff, lightly spotted with reddish-brown. Incubation is by both sexes, 22-27 days. Young:
Downy young leave nest soon after hatching. Both parents tend young, but young feed themselves. If nest or young
are threatened, adults perform distraction display to lead predators away. Age of young at first flight about
30-31 days.
Young
Downy young leave nest soon after hatching. Both parents tend young, but young feed themselves. If nest or young
are threatened, adults perform distraction display to lead predators away. Age of young at first flight about
30-31 days.
Diet
Mostly insects, some seeds. Feeds on a wide variety of insects, including many grasshoppers, crickets, beetles
and their larvae, moth caterpillars, and many others; also spiders, centipedes, earthworms, snails. Also eats
some seeds of grasses and weeds, and waste grain in fields.
Nesting
Male displays over breeding territory in song-flight, with shallow, fluttering wingbeats and drawn-out whistles,
often very high above the ground. May nest in loose colonies, with all the pairs in a local area going through
stages of nesting (egg-laying, hatching, etc.) at almost exactly the same time. Nest site is on ground among
dense grass, typically well hidden, with grass arched above it. Nest (probably built by both sexes) is shallow
scrape on ground, lined with dry grass.
Upland Sandpiper
Upland Sandpiper
Conservation status
Numbers probably increased in the early days of settlement, up through the early 1800s, as forest was turned
into farmland in eastern North America. During the period of commercial hunting in the late 1800s, great numbers
were shot, and the population dropped sharply. Since that time, Upland Sandpipers have recovered in a few areas.
Their numbers are apparently holding steady on parts of Great Plains, but in much of the east and northeast they
are now very local.
Family -Sandpipers
Habitat
Grassy prairies, open meadows, fields. Favored nesting habitat is native grassland, with mixture of tall grass
and broad-leafed weeds. In the northeast, where natural grassland is now scarce, may be found most often on
airports. In migration, stops on open pastures, lawns. Almost never on mudflats or other typical shorebird
habitats.
The ghostly, breathy whistle of the Upland Sandpiper is one of the characteristic sounds of spring on the
northern Great Plains. The bird sings sometimes from the tops of fenceposts or poles, but often on the wing,
flying high with shallow, fluttering wingbeats. When it lands, it may be hard to see in the tall grass of its
typical habitat. Because of its short bill and round-headed shape, was once called "Upland Plover," but it is a
true sandpiper, and apparently a close relative of the curlews.
Feeding Behavior
Forages by walking through the grass, with rather abrupt or jerky movements, picking up items from ground or
from vegetation.
Eggs
4 Pale buff to pinkish-buff, lightly spotted with reddish-brown. Incubation is by both sexes, 22-27 days. Young:
Downy young leave nest soon after hatching. Both parents tend young, but young feed themselves. If nest or young
are threatened, adults perform distraction display to lead predators away. Age of young at first flight about
30-31 days.
Young
Downy young leave nest soon after hatching. Both parents tend young, but young feed themselves. If nest or young
are threatened, adults perform distraction display to lead predators away. Age of young at first flight about
30-31 days.
Diet
Mostly insects, some seeds. Feeds on a wide variety of insects, including many grasshoppers, crickets, beetles
and their larvae, moth caterpillars, and many others; also spiders, centipedes, earthworms, snails. Also eats
some seeds of grasses and weeds, and waste grain in fields.
Nesting
Male displays over breeding territory in song-flight, with shallow, fluttering wingbeats and drawn-out whistles,
often very high above the ground. May nest in loose colonies, with all the pairs in a local area going through
stages of nesting (egg-laying, hatching, etc.) at almost exactly the same time. Nest site is on ground among
dense grass, typically well hidden, with grass arched above it. Nest (probably built by both sexes) is shallow
scrape on ground, lined with dry grass.