The Upland Sandpiper is an elusive bird in Vermont, known to breed only in a few places, most notably at the airport in Franklin county. However, it also breeds north in Quebec, and would be an expected, if rare, migrant.
Its NFC is identical to its daily flight call, making observation easy (Evans and Mellinger 1999). There is no sexual differentiation between calls (Houston et al. 2020).
Sibley (2016) writes:
Flight call a low, strong, liquid _qui-di-di-du; last note lower and weaker.
Pieplow (2017) writes:
Quiddyquit: All year, including by night migrants. Plastic, especially in length. ... Clear, piping, usually 3-noted ... Middle note often highest.
Houston et al. (2020) write in Birds of the World:
Tattler Calls. See Figure 2B. Adult Tattler Call is emphatic, bubble-like and rapidly uttered quip-ip-ip-ip-ip-ip-ip-ip, usually given in flight. A more impatient-sounding Tattler Call is given as an alarm call or chatter. Oberholser (Oberholser 1974: 335) renders this as “an emphatic kip-ip-ip-ip .”
“Rich fluttering notes, usually in triplicate, are sounded during migration” (Oberholser 1974: 335). During nocturnal migration, species can be identified from same three-note call that it gives during the day (Evans and Mellinger 1999). During migration over Gatun, Panama, Jewel (Jewel 1913: 425) notes that “they could be heard to cry out in apparent alarm and then trail off into their particular soothing notes of content as they were answered by others near”. When Upland Sandpipers are migrating in Argentina, their cries are heard all day long from Feb through Apr and also at night, especially when under moonlight. In Argentina, the Upland Sandpiper's vernacular name is Batitú, an abbreviation of the Indian name Mbatuitui (Hudson 1920), from its “wild trisyllabic alarm cry . . . one of the most frequently heard sounds on the pampas” (Hudson 1922: 158).
Dunne (2006) notes:
The call often heard when the bird is flying overhead is a brusque, low, liquid "quidyquit," which is not a harsh or loud sound, but it carries incredibly far.
This call used as the official flight call example on eBird for Upland Sandpiper is particular useful at showing the tripartite nature of the call, as well as the variation between calls.
Other calls:
This information is eye-balled from the one example in Pieplow (2017). More sample sizes and analysis would be beneficial.
This section may not be helpful. The idea is to make it easier to rule out other species more easily without going through the whole list, which may not be possible.
The following species were noted as being similar by the cited experts. Any notes underneath the species can be used to rule out the other species for particular calls.
When describing this call in comments on an NFC checklist, try and add as many salient notes as possible and refer to this page for justification. If there are any species which seem similar, please get in touch so we can add them here. The intent here is to have a full list of differences for each possible similar call.
Pieplow (2017) includes this note in his section on "A short trill of piplike notes":
Like a Pipping Trill, but usually shorter, often just 2-3 notes. ... Usually 2 identical sharp Pips: Wilson's Plover Piddip, Red-necked Phalarope Piddip ... Usually 3 rather mellow Pips: Upland Sandpiper Quiddyquit.
These two species would seem to benefit from inclusion here.
Another consideration is that the Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers are very common night migrants in Vermont, with a mildly similar call of three notes. Disambiguating these nominally here would be useful.
The piddip sounds similar to UPSA, but it is also not known as a nocturnal flight call currently. No listed NFC in Pieplow (2017). Note that this information has a sample size of 1 recording, with three calls in it. Call assessments eyeballed from Pieplow (2017).
The piddip may be the NFC, but it isn't currently known. Note that this information has a sample size of 1. Call assessments eyeballed from Pieplow (2017).
Call assessments eyeballed from Pieplow (2017). There are several different types of NFC call, also given diurnally. The pee series are flat, or form small inverted u's, and are not easily confused. However, the pee-pwee-pwee series is shaped similarly, with up-ticks. This is used for the information below. Note that this information has a sample size of 2.
The pwee-pwee-pwee call is identified as an NFC call by Pieplow (2017). Note that this information has a sample size of 2. Call assessments eyeballed from Pieplow (2017).