Population status

Pectoral Sandpiper
(Calidris melanotos)

The Pectoral Sandpiper breeds and winters outside of regularly surveyed areas. Adults migrate primarily through interior North America, while juveniles disperse widely and use coastal sites more frequently (Farmer et al. 2013). Results from continental migration monitoring surveys suggest a large decrease in the abundance of Pectoral Sandpipers relative to about 1970, but because these surveys are biased towards coastal sites, juveniles may be over-represented. Though now somewhat dated, surveys at Rasmussen Lowlands, Nunavut, found no significant declines in Pectoral Sandpiper abundance between the 1970s and 1990s (Gratto-Trevor et al. 1998). Because of these observations, and because of low counts in the early years of migration monitoring and poor precision in the results, the status of this species in Canada is considered to be a moderate decrease. However, the reliability of the trend information is assessed as low. Future assessments of status will be improved when results from the Arctic Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (Arctic PRISM) become available. The Pectoral Sandpiper is currently below the lowest acceptable level relative to its national population goal (see graph below).

Population goal and acceptable levels of variation

Species/group	Goal	Lower level	Upper level
Pectoral Sandpiper	Mean abundance (first 5 years of survey)	Goal minus 25%	Not applicable

Analyses of Shorebird Migration Monitoring Data

Additional information on: Analyses of Shorebird Migration Monitoring Data

View definitions of table column headings being used by: Analyses of Shorebird Migration Monitoring Data

Table 1: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic area	Time Period	Annual Trend ^{Table 1 - footnote 1}	Limits
Geographic area	Time Period	Annual Trend ^{Table 1 - footnote 1}	Lower	Upper
North America Select to view graph of the geographic area: North America 1974-2016; Analyses of Shorebird Migration Monitoring Data	1974-2016	-2	-4.5	1

References

Alisauskas, R.T., J.W. Charlwood and D.K. Kellett. 2006. Vegetation correlates of the history and density of nesting by Ross's Geese and Lesser Snow Geese at Karrak Lake, Nunavut. Arctic 59:201-210. Alisauskas, R.T., J.W. Charlwood and D.K. Kellett. 2006. Vegetation correlates of the history and density of nesting by Ross's Geese and Lesser Snow Geese at Karrak Lake, Nunavut. Arctic 59:201-210. (Link)
Farmer, A., R.T. Holmes, and F.A. Pitelka. 2013. Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Farmer, A., R.T. Holmes, and F.A. Pitelka. 2013. Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. (Link)
Gratto-Trevor, C.L., V.H. Johnston and S.T. Pepper. 1998. Changes in shorebird and eider abundance in the Rasmussen Lowlands, NWT. Wilson Bulletin 110:316-325. Gratto-Trevor, C.L., V.H. Johnston and S.T. Pepper. 1998. Changes in shorebird and eider abundance in the Rasmussen Lowlands, NWT. Wilson Bulletin 110:316-325. (Link)
Hines, J.E., P.B. Latour and C.S. Machtans. 2010. The effects on lowland habitat, breeding shorebirds and songbirds in the Banks Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary Number 1 by the growing colony of Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens). Canadian Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 118, Environmen. Hines, J.E., P.B. Latour and C.S. Machtans. 2010. The effects on lowland habitat, breeding shorebirds and songbirds in the Banks Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary Number 1 by the growing colony of Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens). Canadian Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 118, Environmen. (Link)
Isacch, J.P. and M.M. Martínez. 2003. Habitat use by non-breeding shorebirds in flooding pampas grasslands of Argentina. Waterbirds 26:494-500. Isacch, J.P. and M.M. Martínez. 2003. Habitat use by non-breeding shorebirds in flooding pampas grasslands of Argentina. Waterbirds 26:494-500. (Link)
Sammler, J.E., D.E. Andersen and S.K. Skagen. 2008. Population trends of tundra-nesting birds at Cape Churchill, Manitoba, in relation to increasing goose populations. Condor 110:325-334. Sammler, J.E., D.E. Andersen and S.K. Skagen. 2008. Population trends of tundra-nesting birds at Cape Churchill, Manitoba, in relation to increasing goose populations. Condor 110:325-334. (Link)