Pectoral Sandpipers breed throughout the circumpolar Arctic. In Canada, they are found in wetlands of the Low to Mid Arctic. Migration monitoring surveys suggest a moderate decrease in the abundance of Pectoral Sandpipers relative to about 1970. Few data are available from the breeding grounds, so the true status of the Canadian population is uncertain. With more than 80% of the global breeding population, Canada's responsibility for the species is very high. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
The Canadian breeding range of the Pectoral Sandpiper overlaps with that of several populations of over-abundant arctic geese. Geese can degrade tundra habitats by grazing on grasses, sedges, and their rhizomes (Alisauskas et al. 2006); this modified habitat often supports lower densities of shorebirds (e.g., Sammler et al. 2008, Hines et al. 2010). This could be a contributing factor to the apparent decreases in abundance of the Pectoral Sandpiper. However, in winter, this species, as well as several other shorebird species, rely heavily on the moist grassland habitats of South America. These grasslands have long been used for grazing livestock, but economic conditions are increasingly favouring their conversion to croplands, which are less suitable for wintering shorebirds (Isacch and Martínez 2003). Efforts to preserve migratory staging areas and critical stopover sites will be beneficial (Farmer et al. 2013).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
