Shorebirds (shorbs for short) are the most complicated type of bird to identify for me. And that is not something that I say lightly… they truly are super difficult. It is also easy to become discouraged because it can take a while to learn to differentiate the most basic shorebirds. These little guys may seem pretty simple, but they are far from that.
The difficulty comes from how similar their looks and behavior are. They tend to be in similar habitats, have similar sizes, and have similar colorations. But, it is not impossible to tell the difference, and I will give a few tips and tricks that I have acquired.
My first tip is to learn your major shorebirds groups and be able to separate them: avocets, oystercatchers, rails, turnstones, stilts, swamphens, godwits, killdeers, phalaropes, snipes, dowitchers, curlews, plovers, sandpipers, yellowlegs, whimbrels, and willets. Knowing the distinctive features of each of these groups makes it much easier to be able to identify on the species level, and it is the first step to being able to make precise observations. For example, if you see a small shorebird with a very small, stubby bill with a “cute” face, you should be able to narrow that down to determine that it is most likely a plover. This step requires more than just being in the field; taking time to study and look through guidebooks will be invaluable in learning these “sub” groups.
My second piece of advice is to go to the shore with a group at first. Check out Facebook and nature center websites to find these groups. Other people will have their own little tips and tricks that you can integrate. Also, having people be able to confirm your identifications can be helpful in learning. Going in a group will be invaluable, but also trying to learn on your own is important. It can be easy to get in the habit of letting others identify for you if you are unsure, but when you are alone you are forced to make the calls yourself.
Additionally, always pay attention to habitat, time of year, and behavior. These can be easily discounted, especially in this day of photography, but they are essential identification markers. A great tip is to take into account how “wet” the environment is. Some shorebirds’ ideal habitat is sod farms and fields where there is hardly any water at all, and some prefer to be in deeper waters. For example, to find a Buff-breasted sandpiper, you are much better off looking at sod farms than by the shore. There are a few tips and tricks to try to remember where you find what, but my biggest tip is to research individual species and then go into the field to get a better feel for their ideal habitat.
Finally, similar to my warbler guide, my biggest tip is to not give up. Shorebirds will never be easy to identify, but the challenge is what makes shorebirds so appealing to look for. I find shorebirds to be the most rewarding birds to identify, and they are super interesting birds to explore.
I never knew you were into birdwatching! I don’t have any experience, but I have some friends that enjoy birdwatching and have met a few birdwatchers as I was hiking along some trails. I always found my conversations with them fascinating, as they always seem so passionate and eager to share their knowledge with others. I feel like learning to identify different species of birds can be rather difficult at first, since there’s so many of them, often with similar appearances. It’s amazing that you’ve pursued this hobby, and you’ve gotten some great photos out of it!
This is really informative and helpful! I liked that you included advice not just on this specific bird, but also general birdwatching! I agree that it can be easy when learning something difficult to rely on other people, but it’s important to figure out how to do it yourself! It’s impressive how much knowledge you have on the subject, and since I know nothing about birdwatching, I always enjoy learning something new from your blog.