Broad-billed Sandpiper
Calidris falcinellus
The Broad-billed Sandpiper (Calidris falcinellus) is a uncommon sandpiper found in 89 countries, weighing about 37 g. The broad-billed sandpiper is a small wading bird.
About the Broad-billed Sandpiper
The broad-billed sandpiper is a small wading bird. The scientific specific name falcinellus is the diminutive from Latin falx, falcis, "a small sickle". It was formerly treated in its own monospecific genus Limicola, but this was found to be embedded within the wider genus Calidris, into which it was transferred in 2004.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Broad-billed sandpipers are small waders, 16–18 cm long, slightly smaller than the dunlin, but larger than the little stint; it has a longer, straighter bill with the tip distinctly kinked down, and shorter legs than dunlin. The breeding adult has dark brown upperparts patterned with narrow, pale feather fringes, and white underparts with blackish markings on the breast. It has a pale crown stripe, and a distinctive double (split) supercilium.
What the Broad-billed Sandpiper sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Netherlands, Portugal, Djibouti, Morocco, Uganda, Zimbabwe, North Korea, Albania, Faroe Islands, Northern Mariana Islands.
When to see it
Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, with peak activity in May. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Broad-billed Sandpiper?
- Broad-billed sandpipers are small waders, 16–18 cm long, slightly smaller than the dunlin, but larger than the little stint; it has a longer, straighter bill with the tip distinctly kinked down, and shorter legs than dunlin. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Broad-billed Sandpiper?
- The Broad-billed Sandpiper is a small sized bird weighing about 37 g.
- Where can you see a Broad-billed Sandpiper?
- The Broad-billed Sandpiper occurs in 89 countries, including Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and Norway.
- What does a Broad-billed Sandpiper sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Broad-billed Sandpiper on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Broad-billed Sandpiper?
- The Broad-billed Sandpiper is most easily confused with the Surfbird, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper and the Great Knot.
- Is the Broad-billed Sandpiper endangered?
- The Broad-billed Sandpiper is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Broad-billed Sandpiper for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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