Face and breast are marked in black, duller in winter. White and black pattern obvious on wings during flight. Breeds on coastal tundra in northwestern Alaska and on islands of Canadian Arctic. Winters on coasts from Connecticut and Oregon southward along the Gulf. Also found in Eurasia.
Eggs are olive colored and spotted with brown.
Breeding adults have rusty head and neck . Winter birds have gray head and look almost white. Make lots of noise while feeding. One of the most widespread of all shorebirds. Breeds on tundra from Baffin Island eastward to Alaska.