Birds of the Botanic Gardens

Spotted Sandpiper: Actitis macularia; Local name: Baigas;
Family: Scolopacidae (Sandpipers, Phalaropes and allies)

Description: Probably the most common migrant bird in Dominica; solitary in habit; medium size, 16-20 cm long (6-8 in); non-breeding adults are greyish brown on head and back, with throat, breast and belly white (without dark spots); have short neck and moderately long, black bill; moderately long, yellowish legs with grey feet; have dark eye streak beginning at bill; breeding birds are dark brown above and heavily spotted on their underparts, with brown to orange bills; both sexes look alike, but females are larger and have larger under-belly spots; summer breeding in Canada and most of the US, non-breeding winter migration to the southern US, the Caribbean and most of Latin America; in Dominica, found on the sea shore, river banks, the edge of lakes and swamps, and in wet grassy areas; in the Gardens in the wet season, the wintering Spotted Sandpiper will sometimes be seen on the cricket field; feeds primarily on small aquatic life, including crustaceans, insects and snails; click  here to listen to its calls, and  here  to see its video.

References:
Arlington James, et al. Dominica’s Birds. Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, Dominica, 2005
James Bond. Birds of the West Indies. Collins, St James Place, London, 4th Edition, 1979
Herbert Raffaele, et al. Birds of the West Indies. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2003
G.A. Gough, et al. Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Geological Surveys, Laurel, MD. 1998. (www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov, Feb 2008)
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All About Birds: Spotted Sandpiper. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (www.birds.cornell.edu, Feb. 2008)