The Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) is a medium-sized shorebird that breeds in the Arctic tundra and migrates long distances to wintering grounds in the Southern Hemisphere. The species gets its name from the sharply demarcated black and white breast pattern that resembles a tuxedo.
The Pectoral Sandpiper is known for its aerial display flights and complex vocalizations during the breeding season. The song of the Pectoral Sandpiper is a key part of their breeding behavior and consists of a variety of whistles, chirps and whoops.
What Does the Pectoral Sandpiper Song Sound Like?
The song of the Pectoral Sandpiper is a melodious series of notes, including loud musical whistles, soft chirps, explosive whoops and mechanical twitters. The most distinctive components of the song are the loud, resonant whistles and the mechanical twitters.
The whistles are rich and varied, with a mournful, flute-like quality. These whistles carry far across the open tundra. Some whistles start with a few soft introductory notes before rising in volume and pitch. Other whistles rapidly increase in tempo. The duration of the whistles varies from less than a second to up to 3-4 seconds for the longer, more complex whistles.
The mechanical twitters create a fast-paced rhythmic rattle. The twitters often precede or follow the loud whistles. At the beginning of the song, a series of low chirps introduces the first whistles. Other chirps and soft whoops fill in between the whistles and twitters.
Audio of the Pectoral Sandpiper Song
Here is an audio recording of the Pectoral Sandpiper song:
The recording demonstrates the mix of loud whistles, soft chirps, twitters and whoops that make up the elaborate song sequence. While individual components may be simple notes, together they form a complex and melodious song.
When and Why Does the Pectoral Sandpiper Sing This Song?
The Pectoral Sandpiper performs this intricate song sequence during the breeding season in the high Arctic tundra. Singing plays a key role in breeding displays and interactions.
Here are some of the main contexts in which the Pectoral Sandpiper song is used:
Advertising Territory and Attracting a Mate
Male Pectoral Sandpipers sing to advertise their nesting territory and attract a female mate. The resonant whistles in particular can carry long distances across the open landscape. A vocally-skilled male signals that he has claimed a prime nesting area.
Bonding with the Female
When a female approaches his territory, the male will sing vigorously. The female may join in with her own simpler vocalizations. Dueting helps the pair bond and cement the pair bond.
Competing with Rival Males
Groups of males often cluster together on elevated tundra hummocks and engage in competitive song contests called “song flights.” Each male tries to out-sing his rivals. This shows off his vitality in hopes of luring a female.
Guarding the Mate
The male continues singing after attracting a female to his territory. This helps reaffirm the pair bond and warns off intruding males.
Defending the Nest
Singing picks up again near the end of incubation to defend the nesting area from predators and signal the chicks to follow them away from the nest.
What Are the Components of the Song?
As described above, the Pectoral Sandpiper’s breeding song consists of four main vocalizations that are mixed together in varied combinations:
Whistles
– Loud, musical whistles lasting 1-4 seconds
– Clear, flute-like quality
– Variable pitch and tempo
– Carry over long distances
Chirps
– Short, softer introductory chirps
– Downslurred in pitch
– Transitions between louder notes
Twitters
– Fast mechanical rattle
– Short, clicked notes
– Up to 15 notes per second
– Rhythmic quality
Whoops
– Explosive, breathy notes
– Function as accents between whistles
– Softer and more sporadic than whistles
By combining these vocalizations in varied sequences, males can sing for several minutes at a time, increasing their chances of enticing a female. The song varies throughout the stages of the breeding season to serve different purposes.
How Do Males Learn the Intricate Song?
The Pectoral Sandpiper’s intricate and melodious song plays an important role in mating success. But how exactly do males learn to perform these complex vocal sequences?
Research shows that the breeding song is an innate behavior, but proper learning is needed to master the technique:
Innate Basis
– Males can perform simple introductory version of the song in their first breeding season.
– Basic song is instinctive and not learned from other birds.
Practice Makes Perfect
– Yearling males have weaker, simpler songs than older males.
– Adults have longer, more complex songs.
– Males likely require practice over several seasons to perfect their performance.
Role Models Help
– Males learn timing of the song components from other nearby singing males.
– Interacting with skilled adults helps yearlings improve their rendition.
So the song itself is innate, but young Pectoral Sandpipers need practice and role models to turn their simple solos into virtuosic performances worthy of attracting a discerning female mate.
How Does the Song Vary Geographically?
The Pectoral Sandpiper breeds across a broad circumpolar range stretching from northeast Siberia across North America to Greenland. Interestingly, just like some human musical dialects, there are slight geographic variations in the structure of the Pectoral Sandpiper’s song.
Siberia and Western North America
– More wheezy quality to the whistles
– Twitters faster, almost a continuous buzz
– Whoops often precede the whistles
Central Canada
– Whistles are clear, flute-like
– Slower tempos
– Longer pauses between components
Eastern North America
– Repertoire more extensive
– Greater variability between songs
– More soft chirps interspersed
These dialect differences arise because birds in each region interact and learn the song from their nearby neighbors. Over many generations, localized differences accumulate to form distinct regional dialects. But the variations are subtle, and a Saskatchewan bird would have no trouble attracting an Alaskan mate.
How Does the Pectoral Sandpiper Song Compare to Other Shorebirds?
The Pectoral Sandpiper’s elaborate and musical song stands out from other North American shorebirds breeding in the same Arctic habitat:
Wilson’s Snipe
– Winnowing sound caused by tail vibration
– No varied notes or melody
– Used in dive displays, not vocal
Semipalmated Sandpiper
– Short simple whistles
– Repeated single note
– Lacks complexity
White-rumped Sandpiper
– Trilled whistles
– Wider frequency range
– But no rattle or whoops
Baird’s Sandpiper
– High choppy notes
– Fast-paced and chattery
– No resonant musical whistles
The Pectoral Sandpiper truly stands out for its diverse mix of notes and tempos, combined into a melodious sequence capable of carrying far across the Arctic tundra. The song reflects this species’ reliance on vocal skills to attract a mate in the treeless landscape.
Conclusion
With its rich whistles, buzzing twitters, soft chirps and whooping accents, the Pectoral Sandpiper’s intricate breeding song serves vital functions from mate attraction to territory defense. The need to master this virtuosic vocal performance drives young males to practice extensively in hopes of one day using their song to entice a female to their tundra territory. When heard floating over the Arctic expanses, the Pectoral Sandpiper’s song embodies the beauty and complexity of avian vocal music.
