Appearance

Unless otherwise indicated, plumage descriptions are derived from Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley (MVZB); specimens examined by NW. Colors that are capitalized follow Smithe (1975), and corresponding color codes are enclosed in parentheses (at first mention of color).

Hatchlings

Plumage description from specimens collected around Barrow, AK (see also Bent 1927, Brandt 1943). Forehead is Tawny (38) to Raw Sienna (136), split by a single dark Sepia stripe (119) tinged with Chestnut (32) that extends from the center of the base of the upper mandible to the crown. Large dark crown colored Sepia mixed with Chestnut and tinges of black. Crown edged by a narrow (approx. 1.5 mm) grayish white lateral stripe (Pitelka 1950 refers to this as the supercilium) that begins over each eye and wraps back to almost merge on the hindneck. Supercilium is Chestnut and Sepia; begins at forehead area and ends behind the eye. Triangular-shaped Sepia- and Chestnut-colored eye-stripe contrasts with lighter-colored forehead. Raw Sienna to Tawny cheek area merges into Tawny side of neck. Auricular feathers Tawny-Chestnut flecked with white, often creating a pale patch.

Hindneck and mantle mottled Chestnut and Tawny with flecks of Sepia, a few feathers in this upper area terminally tipped with white to Pale Neutral Gray (86) flecks. Wings, back, and rump slightly darker in contrast to hindneck and mantle. More Sepia and Chestnut and less Tawny color, scattered flecks of white to Pale Neutral Gray in indistinct rows along back, rump, and thighs.

Underparts unmarked and lighter than upperparts. Chin white to Pale Neutral Gray, throat Buff (124). Breast Buff mixed with True Cinnamon (139), creating a slightly darker, more orangey look. Belly Buff mixed with True Cinnamon, although slightly lighter in contrast to breast. Vent area darker, with more Chestnut and Sepia colored down.

Juvenal Plumage

Prejuvenal molt complete; timing unknown, although likely within few weeks after hatch as in other shorebirds.

Plumage description derived from specimens collected from n. Alaska in Aug (see also Bent 1927). Upperparts, beginning with the head: crown and forehead are colored Hair Brown (119A) with tinges of Chestnut (extends from bill to nape). Hindneck and mantle are faintly streaked and colored Drab (27) to Drab-Gray (119D).

Off-white supercilium, with Hair Brown eye-stripe that extends to bill. Scapulars and tertials are dark: mostly Sepia with Tawny edges. Tertials with Drab-Gray to Tawny edges, usually unmarked or slightly marked (in contrast to marbled, more boldly marked tertials of Short-billed Dowitcher). Wing-coverts are Drab, often with Sepia-colored center shaft, margined with Drab-Gray to Tawny. Rectrices are Sepia with narrow white and Tawny bars (Tawny especially toward the tips of the rectrices). Lower back and rump white (shows clearly in flight, otherwise usually covered), with some Sepia spotting that merges to Sepia (may be more brownish than in adults) bars on white uppertail-coverts (Cramp and Simmons 1983, Paulson 1993, NW).

Underparts: chin is Pale Pinkish Buff (121D); throat Drab to Drab-Gray becoming darker on upper breast region; Tawny feathers dispersed throughout this area. Lower breast and belly are unmarked except for faint, smudged bars and spots on flanks; this area Salmon (6) colored with lots of white diffused through. Undertail-coverts whitish with Salmon tint and Sepia-colored spots (sometimes bars).

Basic I Plumage

Prebasic I molt (Postjuvenal molt) incomplete. Feathers retained include rectrices, uppertail-coverts, some scapulars, and all remiges except some inner secondaries (Pitelka 1950). Molt begins in Sep, and most feathers that are molted are probably replaced by late Oct or early Nov (NW), but may retain some tertials until Dec (Paulson 1993).

Plumage similar to Definitive Basic with some differences. Inner median-coverts and some scapulars tipped with Tawny (described as buff in Prater et al. 1987) and coverts retained until spring (Prater et al. 1987). In contrast to adults, rectrices are more pointed, tipped with buff; bars not as clearly defined and dark color more brownish than black (Pitelka 1950).

Alternate I Plumage

Prealternate I molt incomplete. Molt almost all body feathers, some wing-coverts, most scapulars, some tertials, and often the middle pair of rectrices (Pitelka 1950). Timing of this molt poorly understood, but probably similar to adults.

Plumage of some individuals similar to Definitive Alternate, others look like Basic (S. Howell pers. comm.). Whether this is a limited molt or new feathers resembling Basic plumage requires elucidation, although feathers retained from Juvenal plumage relatively more worn.

Definitive Basic Plumage

Definitive Prebasic molt complete; body feather molt begins late Jul–Aug away from the breeding grounds, completed rapidly: Some finished by early Sep (usually late Sep, Bent 1927, Paulson 1993). Molt appears to begin in head and flanks (Jaramillo and Henshaw 1995). In central California, many females complete by early Sep, most males by mid-Oct (MVZB; not able to look at most flight feathers; NW). Females also appear to be slightly ahead of males in molt schedule of remiges (D. Paulson unpubl.). Adults molt remiges while still migrating (D. Paulson pers. comm.), and at least some begin to drop primaries before any other feathers molted. In mid-Atlantic states, active primary molt seen in Jul and Aug, with gaps in inner to mid-primaries; Short-billed Dowitcher shows no wing molt at same time (D. Sibley unpubl.). Full wing molt during mid-migration is unusual in shorebirds (Paulson 1993). The extent of this in Long-billed Dowitcher deserves further study.

Plumage description derived from specimens collected in Merced Co., CA. Upperparts, beginning with the head: Drab unmarked crown; color extends from the bill, including the forehead, to lower nape. White to Buff supercilium. Broad, yet diffuse eye-stripe that is Drab-Gray; eye-coverts Drab-Gray mixed with white. Nape, hindneck, and mantle are colored Drab-Gray merging with Drab. Back and rump area is Drab-Gray to Hair Brown when wings closed. If wings spread, lower back, rump, and uppertail-coverts same pattern as in Juvenal plumage. Greater- and median-coverts are Drab edged with white, while scapulars and tertials are Drab. All wing feathers brownish sepia, although secondaries and inner greater- and median-coverts palest. Marginal-, lesser-, and median-coverts with dark shaft streak and contrasting paler margins. Alula feathers and primary-coverts narrowly tipped white (most narrowly on outermost feathers). Greater-coverts more broadly tipped white. Outermost primary with broad white shaft (shafts of other primaries brownish). Inner primaries and secondaries tipped white (most broadly on middle and inner secondaries where distal portion of feather is also margined white) with an additional white subterminal bar on inner web of innermost secondaries. Underwing largely pale gray with brownish internal markings on smallest underwing-coverts. Median and greater underwing-coverts, innermost primaries, and secondaries tipped white with additional white subterminal bars on middle- and inner-coverts and secondaries. Axillars white with grayish sepia bars.

Underparts: Chin and throat white to Buff, spotted with smudges of Drab-Gray. Breast is Drab-Gray and usually contrasts with lower breast, belly, and vent area, which are white and unmarked. Smudgy Drab-Gray barring (occasional spots) on flanks and sides. Undertail-coverts white with Drab barring. Rectrices are white with narrow Sepia to Hair Brown bars; generally more black in tails than white, although can vary tremendously.

Definitive Alternate Plumage

Definitive Prealternate molt incomplete. Involves replacement of almost all body feathers, wing-coverts, scapulars, tertials, and often the middle pair of rectrices (Pitelka 1950). Molt in central California begins late Feb, and by late Apr most seem to have completed molt; molt of rec-trices appears to begin mid-Mar (MVZB; NW). No apparent difference in schedule of males and females, although further study warranted.

Plumage description from specimens collected around Barrow, AK. Upperparts, beginning with the head: large Sepia-colored crown mixed with Chestnut and Cinnamon-Rufous (40); color extends from bill to the nape, including the forehead. Tawny to Buff-colored supercilium; auricular feathers Tawny and streaked with Sepia. Feathers on hindneck Tawny and tipped with spots colored Natal Brown (219A) to Sepia. With wings folded, feathers in back and rump area dark, mostly Natal Brown to Sepia with Tawny edges, creating a scalloped look. Scapulars colored Sepia with Tawny edges and white to Buff tips. As edges of the feathers wear (usually by Jun, Jaramillo and Henshaw 1995) the mantle becomes darker in appearance (see pictures F and G in Rosair and Cottridge 1995: 143). If wings spread out, lower back, rump, and uppertail-coverts same pattern and colors as in Juvenal plumage. Wing coverts are brownish Sepia edged with white, some blackish with Tawny to Buff bars or chevrons. Tertials are usually unmarked dark Sepia with narrow, Tawny edges, although some have Tawny, Buff, and white bars or chevrons (sometimes variegated). Primaries and secondaries retained from Basic plumage now appear Hair Brown to Dark Drab (119B) depending on degree of fading and wear. New feathers of some uppertail-coverts with pinkish cinnamon bars instead of white (Pitelka 1950).

Underparts: Chin Pale Pinkish Buff merging into True Cinnamon to Raw Sienna throat and breast; feathers in throat (sometimes chin) and upper breast moderately to heavily speckled with Sepia spots turning into bars on sides of breast. Lower breast, belly, and vent area relatively unmarked by spots or bars; True Cinnamon to Raw Sienna-colored feathers often tipped with white with occasional all-white body feathers throughout this area (white tips get worn off by around Jun). Side, flanks, and crural feathers are barred. Undertail-coverts washed True Cinnamon with Sienna colored bars, tipped in white. Rectrices are white to Tawny (from outer to innermost) with narrow Sepia to Hair Brown bars; generally more black in tail than white (or Tawny), although can vary depending on individual and feather (see Paulson 1993: 328). Rectrices tipped in white when new.

Bill

In downy young, Dusky Brown (19) to a blue-gray (MVZB; NW); in adults and juveniles Sepia usually merging into Yellowish Olive-Green (50) to Citrine (51) at base of bill (NW, see also Cramp and Simmons 1983).

Iris

Dark brown (Cramp and Simmons 1983, NW).

Legs And Feet

Yellowish Olive-Green in juveniles and adults, sometimes darker in color (toward Brownish-Olive [29], NW); claws black (Cramp and Simmons 1983), soles of feet of downy young yellow (MVZB; NW).