4 replies to this topic

[jude]

Boston coastal area: 6 August 2012.

Are these both Semipalmated Sandpipers? They look a little too different from each other, but that might just be age. In large group of Semipalmated Sandpipers.

[psweet]

Welcome to the joys of shorebirding - those both look like Semis to me.

[JimBob]

Looks like the ones i saw yesterday!

[jude]

Thank you both. What had me thinking was the apparent difference in the thickness of bills. O'Brien, Crossley, Karlson mentions that females have longer bills than males (p147), but I did not see anything on variability for bill thickness.

[TheBillyPilgrim]

Thank you both. What had me thinking was the apparent difference in the thickness of bills. O'Brien, Crossley, Karlson mentions that females have longer bills than males (p147), but I did not see anything on variability for bill thickness.

I don't think bill thickness correlates with gender like length does, but it definitely does vary between individuals!