Aves, Charadriiformes, Scolopacidae, Calidris fuscicollis (Vieillot, 1819) (White-rumped Sandpiper): Documented records for the states of Piauí and Ceará in north-eastern Brazil

The White-rumped Sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis (Vieillot, 1819) is a small-sized shorebird (25–51 g; total length 150–170 mm) that breeds in the tundra of Alaska and northern Canada. The species is a long-distance migrant, wintering on sandy beaches, lagoons and other coastal habitats in southern South America (Hayman et al. 1986; Piersma et al. 1996). In Brazil, this species is common and very abundant in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between October–April, but with peaks in November (Harrington et al. 1986; Morrison and Ross 1989; Vooren and Chiaradia 1990).

The White-rumped Sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis (Vieillot, 1819) is a small-sized shorebird (25-51 g; total length 150-170 mm) that breeds in the tundra of Alaska and northern Canada.The species is a long-distance migrant, wintering on sandy beaches, lagoons and other coastal habitats in southern South America (Hayman et al. 1986;Piersma et al. 1996).In Brazil, this species is common and very abundant in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between October-April, but with peaks in November (Harrington et al. 1986;Morrison and Ross 1989;Vooren and Chiaradia 1990).
Northward up to the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the species is present in lower numbers when compared to other small shorebird species like Semipalmated Plovers Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte, 1825 and Semipalmated Sandpipers Calidris pusilla (Linnaeus, 1766) (e.g.Pacheco et al. 1997;Nascimento and Larrazábal 2000;Olmos and Silva-e-Silva 2003;Telino-Júnior et al. 2003;Secretaria de Vigilância da Saúde 2004;Barbieri 2007;Barbieri and Paes 2008).Along the northern Brazilian coast, the White-rumped Sandpiper also appears to be an uncommon species.For instance, out of 2,255 shorebirds mist-netted during a five year study on the coast of the state of Maranhão, only four were White-rumped Sandpipers (Schulz-Neto et al. 2008).
Spring (southward) migration of White-rumped Sandpipers through Brazil mainly follows the Amazonia and Central Brazil Flyways, where frequent stops are made on sand bars and river banks (Antas 1983).
Also the American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica (Statius Muller, 1776) (Vieillot, 1819) are common users of these flyways.Northward routes are essentially the same, but birds cross Central Brazil in rapid non-stop flights following pre-migratory fattening periods at southern Atlantic staging areas (Antas 1984;Harrington et al. 1996).
Given current knowledge, we can assume that the coast of the north-eastern Brazilian states of Piauí and Ceará will be used only occasionally by White-rumped Sandpipers and various surveys conducted in this region did not record the species (Morrison and Ross 1989;Albano et al. 2007).From early 2008 to May 2009, we have been conducting monthly shorebird counts at three points along the coast of Piauí and Ceará.Here we report the first documented records of the Whiterumped Sandpiper for both these states.Following the 'Comitê Brasileiro de Registros Ornitológicos' (2000), a documented record is one supported by tangible evidence available for independent verification, namely, a whole or partial museum specimen, archived or published photographs or video and sound recordings.
The first record was that of a single bird photographed on 24 April 2008 among Semipalmated Plovers and Semipalmated Sandpipers at 'Lagoa de Santana' (02°56' S, 41°23' W), a coastal lagoon in the municipality of Cajueiro da Praia, northern Piauí (Figure 1).On 11 March 2009, another single White-rumped Sandpiper was seen and photographed (Figure 1) with a flock of about 15 Semipalmated Sandpipers on exposed mudflats at 'Ilha Grande' (02°56' S, 41°17' W), an island of c. 3,000 ha located within the Timonha/Ubatuba Rivers estuarine complex in western Ceará (municipality of Barroquinha).This region contains one of the best preserved mangrove areas in north-east Brazil.More recently on 24 April 2009, a flock of five Whiterumped Sandpipers was seen and filmed foraging with Ruddy Turnstones Arenaria interpres (Linnaeus, 1758), Sanderlings Calidris alba (Pallas, 1764), and Semipalmated Sandpipers on mudflats at Cajuais Bank (04°41' S, 37°21' W) in the municipality of Icapuí, eastern Ceará.The Cajuais Bank is the largest intertidal platform in the state; low tide exposes huge mudflats at this site, which extends at least 6 km seaward, providing a vast open foraging area for shorebirds.In addition to these records, the species was also observed and photographed on Jericoacoara Beach (2°48' S, 40°31' W), municipality of Jijoca de Jericoacoara, Ceará, in April 2009 (L.Bugoni in litt.).In all cases, birds were positively identified by their larger-size when compared to Semipalmated Sandpipers; thin, fairly prominent supercilium on otherwise darkish head and breast; long primaries projecting well past tertials and tail tip; and complete white rump-band set off by dark tail (Hayman et al. 1986;O'Brien et al. 2006).The bird from Piauí was in juvenile plumage; i.e., back medium grey above and whitish below, but showing rusty edges on crown and back.The wintering plumage is similar, but the head and neck are grey, giving the bird a hooded look.
The bird of Ilha Grande was in breeding plumage: the upper-parts were light-brown with dark feather centres; lower parts were whitish, with extensive fine streaking on breast and flanks (Hayman et al. 1986;O'Brien et al. 2006).Most birds of Cajuais Bank were in breeding plumage, but at least one of them was moulting from wintering to breeding plumage.
When shorebirds return northward on migration, there are some differences in their use of flyways.For example, some birds migrating southward via the 'Central Brazil Flyway' do not return the same way, but may use routes along the Atlantic Ocean coast (Antas 1983).This likely explains the records of White-rumped Sandpipers along the Brazilian coast north of Rio Grande do Sul during April-May (e.g.Telino-Júnior et al. 2003; Secretaria de Vigilância da Saúde 2004), when birds are returning to their breeding grounds.In a recent study, however, Barbieri (2007) recorded small numbers of White-rumped Sandpipers at Aracaju in the state of Sergipe.According to data presented by Barbieri (2007), birds are present in the area from October to May, but peak numbers occur during October-November.
In Rio Grande do Norte, Nascimento and Larrazábal (2000) also observed a few Whiterumped Sandpipers in February-April and September-November.These records suggest that, although southern South America constitutes the main wintering area of White-rumped Sandpipers, small numbers remain in north-east Brazil, at least along the coast of Sergipe, but being uncommon elsewhere in the region (e.g.Telino-Júnior et al. 2003).