About the Baird's Sandpiper
Baird's sandpiper is a small shorebird. It is among those Calidris species which were formerly sometimes included in the genus Erolia, which was subsumed into the genus Calidris in 1973. The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The English name and specific bairdii commemorate Spencer Fullerton Baird, 19th-century naturalist and assistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Adults have black legs and a short, straight, thin dark bill. They are dark brown on top and mainly white underneath with a black patch on the rump. The head and breast are light brown with dark streaks. In winter plumage, this species is paler brownish grey above. This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny shorebirds; these are known collectively as "peeps" or "stints". One of the best identification features is the long wings, which extend beyond the tail when the bird is on the ground.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Baird's Sandpiper sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in France, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Poland, Puerto Rico, Italy, Martinique, China, Faroe Islands, French Guiana, Israel, Czechia.
When to see it
Peak activity in August · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusThe stilt sandpiper resembles the curlew sandpiper in its long bill, long neck, pale supercilium and white rump.
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisThe white-rumped sandpiper is a relatively small bird measuring only 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in), with a wingspan of 36–38 cm (14–15 in).
Temminck's StintCalidris temminckiiThese birds are very small waders, at 13.5–15 cm (5.3–5.9 in) length.
Side by side: Baird's Sandpiper vs Curlew Sandpiper · Baird's Sandpiper vs Stilt Sandpiper · Baird's Sandpiper vs White-rumped Sandpiper · Baird's Sandpiper vs Temminck's Stint
Learn the Baird's Sandpiper for real
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