Photo of a spotted sandpiper in non-breeding plumage, made by Carla Out in Suriname in November 2007 and below one in breeding plumage made by Pascal Dubois in French Guyane in 2002. This bird is seen everywhere near water, even in the middle of the forest. It is often spotted searching for food on its own, along the bank of a river or on the border of a pond. It is about the most reported bird from Suriname and easily recognisable, for instance because of the constant bobbing of his body when walking and when standing. Other characteristics are his constantly interrupted flight with stiff wings and white 'shoulder' in his fall plumage. Its bill is rose or yellow with a black ending. The sandpipers come in great numbers down from North America to flee the winter there. Most birds seem to pass Suriname and spend the northern winter to the south of Suriname, what explains the peaks inspring and autumn. Extensive counts by A.L. Spaans, published in the Wilson Bulletin point to the same effect (in: waders along the Suriname coast, Wilson bull.1978). A map of South America shows the birds spend the winter throughout middle and south America.
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More pictures of birds of Suriname, part 3
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