Shorebird calls IV : Tringa, Dowitchers, Godwits and other shorebirds

Alarm call of Greater Yellowlegs (Apr, NJ).











Greater Yellowlegs, alarm and flight calls, and portions of yodelling song at 26s and 61s (Apr, NJ).




Alarm call of Lesser Yellowlegs (May, DE).













Lesser Yellowlegs alarm calls in flight, breeding grounds (June, AK).












Multiple Lesser Yellowlegs; various calls (Apr, NJ).



Threat calls in face-off between two Lesser Yellowlegs (Apr, DE).









Threat calls by two Lesser Yellowlegs and a Solitary Sandpiper (Aug, NJ).

Solitary Sandpiper higher calls to right







Spotted Sandpiper, alarm call in the presence of fledgling (June, PA)





Solitary Sandpiper alarm call, a metallic vocalization (after sunset, May, VA)

(Aug, PA).

(Aug, NJ).












Solitary Sandpiper threat call, a rapid trill-like call, heard during interactions (May, PA).









Willet alarm call, by an agitated bird (July, NJ).











Willet quiet calls between pair (May, DE)









Same call by bird in flight (July, ME).


Flock/feeding calls by a group of about 100 Willets (Feb, FL).



Continuous calls by a bird flapping its wings in a group of Western Willets (May, VA)

Eastern Willet song (May, DE)

reduced time scale








The Western Willet song has a prolonged third syllable





Short-billed Dowitchers are talkative while feeding, but these calls do not carry far, giving rise to the reputation that they are quiet while feeding. A parabola picks up these quiet calls, which are very similar to those of Semipalmated Sandpipers. I am confident that these were made by dowitchers as no other species were nearby. The calls average lower than those of Semipalmated Sandpipers, and are usually single-peaked, whereas many calls of Semipalmated are double-peaked. (May, NJ).











Semipalmated Sandpiper feeding calls for comparison (June, NJ).










Short-billed Dowitcher song (migrant, May, NJ).

time scale reduced








Another snippet of song from a dowitcher, most likely a Short-billed Dowitcher (July, NJ).



Long-billed Dowitcher, calls by feeding birds, similar to the Alder Flycatcher pip (adults,Aug, NJ).

A poor recording of a rapidly repeated call by a Long-billed Dowitcher, with Short-billed Dowitchers calling (July, NJ).

calls at 7 kHz










American Oystercatcher piping calls (pair, breeding grounds, Aug, MA).












In flight (July, NJ)



American Avocet, calls from flock (Aug, DE).

Black-necked Stilt, single bird agitated call in flight (Nov, PA).




Agitated calls (Dec, Providenciales, TCI) >

Upland Sandpiper alarm call (tattler call, BNA) (breeding grounds, July, ME).












Marbled Godwit (breeding grounds, May, ND).













Red-necked Phalarope contact call beside a pond (June, AK).