Tringa interpres Linnæus, Syst. Nat. ed. 10 (1758), 1, 148.
Arenaria interpres Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1896), 24, 92;
Hand-List (1899), 1, 146; Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902), 2, 3;
McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 22.
Strepsilas interpres Blanford, Fauna Brit. Ind. Bds. (1898), 4,
223, fig. 50 (head).
Bantayan (McGregor); Bohol (Everett); Cagayancillo (McGregor);
Cagayan Sulu (Guillemard); Cebu (McGregor); Lubang (McGregor);
Luzon (Whitehead); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester); Mindanao (Steere
Exp.); Negros (Steere Exp.); Palawan (Whitehead, Platen, Everett);
Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester). Cosmopolitan, breeding in high
northern latitudes.
"Adult male in breeding plumage.--Above black, mixed with chestnut or
partly chestnut feathers on center of mantle; scapulars for the most
part chestnut, but outer ones black at the ends or irregularly marked
with black; accessory scapular plumes white; back and rump pure white;
upper tail-coverts black, longer ones pure white; lesser wing-coverts
blackish; innermost rather broadly edged with white, as also those
near edge of wing; median coverts for the most part chestnut, slightly
mottled with black; greater coverts blackish, narrowly margined and
broadly tipped with white; alula and primary-coverts black, innermost
of the latter with white tips; quills black with white shafts, and
white bases to the inner primaries; secondaries for the most part
white, blackish toward the ends of the feathers, these black markings
decreasing gradually toward the inner secondaries, some of which are
pure white, the innermost secondaries black, mottled with chestnut,
like the scapulars; tail-feathers black with white bases, all but the
center tail-feathers tipped with white, the black diminishing in size
and forming a band toward the outer feathers, which are almost white;
crown and hind neck white, the former streaked, the latter mottled
with black; base of forehead and a narrow frontal line black, followed
by a band of white, which unites with a broad eyebrow and is extended
over ear-coverts; lores and fore part of cheeks white; feathers round
eye and eyelid white, separated from the white loral patch by a narrow
line of black, which unites the frontal band to a square, black patch
beneath the eye, the latter joined to a malar line of black, which
is connected with the sides of the neck and with the fore neck and
sides of breast, all these parts being black, but nearly divided by
a semi-lunar band of white, which reaches from the sides of the neck
almost to the breast; throat and under surface of body from the center
of chest downward, white; under wing-coverts and axillars pure white;
quills below ashy whitish along the inner web. 'Bill black; feet deep
orange-red, claws black; iris hazel.' (Audubon.) Length, 200; culmen,
23; wing, 157; tail, 58; tarsus, 24; middle toe with claw, 28.
"Adult female in breeding plumage.--Much duller than the male,
and having the same pattern of black and white about the face,
but never developing the same amount of chestnut about the back,
the head and hind neck being brown, mottled with blackish centers to
the feathers. Length, 216; culmen, 23; wing, 160; tail, 62; tarsus,
24; middle toe with claw, 25.
"Young.--Above dusky brown, all the feathers edged with sandy
buff or rufous; wings and tail as in the adult; crown dark brown,
streaked with sandy buff, the margins of the feathers being of this
color; tail-feathers white, with a broad, subterminal band of black,
decreasing in extent toward the outermost feathers, all the feathers
tipped with sandy buff; throat and under surface white; lower throat,
fore neck, sides of neck, and sides of breast, mottled with dusky
blackish centers to the feathers, marking the black pattern of the
adults, even the semi-lunar neck-band of the adults being indicated
by a broad, crescentic band of sandy buff in the young.
"Winter plumage of the adult.--Above nearly uniform dusky brown, but
not showing the tawny rufous margins to feathers of upper surface, the
edges being ashy brown; head uniform brown like the back; hind neck and
sides of neck ashy, mottled with dusky centers to the feathers; sides
of face brown, with more or less white on ear-coverts; black markings
on cheeks and throat as in the breeding bird, but the white semi-lunar
band on the sides of the neck replaced by a patch of light brown.
"The difference between the winter plumage of the adult and the first
full plumage of the young birds consists in the sandy buff margins
to the feathers of the upper surface, which are very distinct in
the latter at first. Afterwards they become abraded, and then there
is scarcely any distinguishing mark between the winter plumages of
the adult and young. In the spring the red plumage is very rapidly
acquired, and I believe that it is gained quite as much by the change
in the pattern of the feathers as by a direct molt." (Sharpe.)
"Often seen in small flocks during the winter months." (Bourns and
Worcester MS.)
Not uncommon on tide-flats in the winter months; it is easily
recognized by its bright red legs.
Subfamily LOBIVANELLINÆ.
Genus MICROSARCOPS Sharpe, 1896.
A hard round knob at bend of wing; a small fleshy wattle on each side
of head at base of bill; bill plover-like with a decided swelling at
the tip; nostril linear in a groove; wing pointed, first and second
primaries equal and largest; tarsus long, covered with large hexagonal
scales which appear as transverse plates in front; front toes webbed
at base; hind toe small.