Coastal Birds in South Carolina - Shorebirds

Dunlins, Red Knots, Sanderlings, Marbled Godwits, and Ruddy Turnstones
feeding in the surf. Kaitlyn Hackathorn/SCDNR.

Shorebirds appear in many sizes and shapes with bills and legs that vary in length depending on how the shorebird feeds. In coastal South Carolina, shorebirds occur on shorelines, islands, marsh edges, inlets, mudflats, on mounds of washed oyster shells and in managed wetland impoundments. Three species of shorebirds nest on South Carolina beaches, while many other species migrate through or spend the winter on our coast.

Shorebirds are some of the world's most amazing migrants. Many species nest in the arctic and sub-arctic zones of the globe and spend the winter in the Southern Hemisphere. During their travels, they stop in large groups to rest and fuel themselves to sustain their migration. South Carolina provides both migration stop over sites for flocks of thousands of these birds and also wintering grounds for birds that do not travel as far south. To help understand shorebird populations, SCDNR conducts surveys of shorebirds throughout the year.

Migratory and/or Nesting Shorebirds of South Carolina

Common Name	Scientific Name	Conservation Status *	Season
American golden plover	Pluvialis dominica	Highest Priority	Migratory
American oystercatcher	Haematopus palliatus	Highest Priority	Nesting/Migratory
American avocet	Recurvirostra americana	High Priority	Migratory
Baird's sandpiper	Calidris bairdii	Moderate Priority	Migratory
Black-bellied plover	Pluvialis squatarola	High Priority	Migratory
Black-necked stilt	Himantopus mexicanus	Not Classified in SWAP	Nesting
Buff-breasted sandpiper	Calidris subruficollis	Highest Priority	Migratory
Dunlin	Calidris alpina	High Priority	Migratory
Greater yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca	High Priority	Migratory
Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus	Not Classified in SWAP	Nesting/Migratory
Least sandpiper	Calidris minutilla	High Priority	Migratory
Lesser yellowlegs	Tringa flavipes	High Priority	Migratory
Long-billed curlew	Numenius americanus	Highest Priority	Migratory
Long-billed dowitcher	Limnodromus scolopaceus	Moderate Priority	Migratory
Marbled godwit	Limosa fedoa	Highest Priority	Migratory
Pectoral sandpiper	Calidris melanotos	Moderate Priority	Migratory
Piping plover	Charadrius melodus	Highest Priority, Federally Endangered	Migratory
Purple sandpiper	Calidris maritima	High Priority	Migratory
Red knot	Calidris canutus	Highest Priority, Federally Endangered	Migratory
Ruddy turnstone	Arenaria interpres	Highest Priority	Migratory
Sanderling	Calidris alba	Highest Priority	Migratory
Semipalmated plover	Charadrius semipalmatus	Moderate Priority	Migratory
Semipalmated sandpiper	Calidris pusilla	High Priority	Migratory
Short-billed dowitcher	Limnodromous griseus	Highest Priority	Migratory
Solitary sandpiper	Tringa solitaria	Highest Priority	Migratory
Spotted sandpiper	Actitis macularius	Moderate Priority	Migratory
Stilt sandpiper	Calidris himantopus	High Priority	Migratory
Upland sandpiper	Bartramia longicauda	Highest Priority	Migratory
Western sandpiper	Calidris mauri	Highest Priority	Migratory
Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus	Highest Priority	Migratory
White-rumped sandpiper	Calidris fuscicollis	Moderate Priority	Migratory
Willet	Tringa semipalmata	High Priority	Nesting/Migratory
Wilson's plover	Charadrius wilsonia	Highest Priority, State Threatened	Nesting/Migratory

Kaitlyn Hackathorn/ SCDNR

* Conservation Status from SC State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) 2015