Sandpipers: Scolopacidae

Most sandpipers breed in inland freshwater wetlands, although a few species prefer to breed in coastal saltwater marshes. Snipes are found in marshes, swamps, and wet grassland habitats. Curlews make use of woodland, tundra, grassland, farmlands, and lakeshores. Some sandpiper species breed on gravelly or rocky tundra, treeless plains found in artic regions. Woodcocks inhabit deciduous forests, forests where there are four seasons and trees lose their leaves in the fall. Favored wintering areas for sandpipers include tropical wetlands such as river mouths, lakeshores, and marshes. The phalaropes are unusual in that they are pelagic (puh-LAJ-ik), meaning they live on the open ocean, during the winter.