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Wandering Tattler

Tringa incanaOrder: CHARADRIIFORMESFamily: Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)

Wandering Tattler Portrait
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General

Wandering Tattler: Medium-sized sandpiper with solid gray upperparts and heavily black-and-white barred underparts. Face is finely streaked and eye line is dark. Sexes are similar. Winter adult and juvenile have gray breast and white belly.

Range and Habitat

Wandering Tattler: Breeds in mountainous areas of south-central Alaska and northwestern British Columbia. Spends winters on Pacific coast from central California southward. Found on rugged, rocky coastlines, jetties, and breakwaters, but during migration may be found on sandy beaches and coastal estuaries.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"whit-wee-wee-wees"

Interesting Facts

 It is believed that hunters named Wandering Tattlers for their loud and scolding calls, which warn other birds of approaching danger.

 In Greek, the genus name, Heteroscelus, means "different leg." It refers to the small scaling on their feet, which differentiates these tattlers from other sandpipers.

 Although their feet are not webbed, they are decent swimmers and can swim as chicks.

 A group of tattlers are collectively known as a "whisper" of tattlers.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Wandering Tattler
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Sandpiper (Scolopacidae)_blue
Species Tringa incana
Length11 Inches
Wingspan22 Inches

Wandering Tattler

Wandering Tattler: Medium sandpiper, solid gray upperparts and heavily black-and-white barred underparts. Face is finely streaked and eye line is dark. Long, black bill. White eye ring. Dull yellow legs and feet. Eats insects, larvae, worms and mollusks. Quick, direct flight with rapid wing beats.

● Song: "whit-wee-wee-wees"

● Foraging & Feeding: Wandering Tattler: Diet includes various adult and larval flies, especially caddisflies and crane flies during the breeding season. On wintering grounds, forages by probing among the kelp and rocks of outer coast marine habitat for crustaceans, marine worms, and small mollusks. Occasionally wades in deep water, and may immerse its head completely to catch food.

● Breeding & nesting: Wandering Tattler: Four olive or green eggs marked with brown are laid in a shallow cup of twigs and roots, built in a hollow among rocks or gravel. Incubation ranges from 23 to 25 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Wandering Tattler: Gray-tailed Tattler has fine dark gray bars on breast, flanks, and edge of undertail coverts, and no bars on belly.

Flight Pattern

Quick direct effortless flight with rapid flicking wing beats.
Wandering Tattler Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Wandering Tattler: Breeds in mountainous areas of south-central Alaska and northwestern British Columbia. Spends winters on Pacific coast from central California southward. Found on rugged, rocky coastlines, jetties, and breakwaters, but during migration may be found on sandy beaches and coastal estuaries.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationUncommon to fairly common
MigrationMigratory
Weight4.1 Ounces