About the Buff-breasted Sandpiper
The buff-breasted sandpiper is a small shorebird. The species name subruficollis is from Latin subrufus, "reddish" and collis, "-necked/-throated". It is a calidrid sandpiper.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
This species is brown above and has a buff face and underparts in all plumages. It has a short bill and yellow legs. Males are larger than females. Juveniles resemble the adults but may be paler on the rear underparts.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Buff-breasted Sandpiper lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Netherlands, Finland, Taiwan, Guatemala, Czechia, Greece, Russia, Northern Mariana Islands, Morocco, Namibia, Seychelles, Dominican Republic, St. Barthélemy, St. Martin, Mongolia.
When to see the Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Peak activity in September · a passage migrant species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellusBroad-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.
SurfbirdCalidris virgataThe surfbird is a large sandpiper, reminiscent of the turnstones or the great knot.
Great KnotCalidris tenuirostrisThe great knot is a medium-sized wader.
Learn the Buff-breasted Sandpiper in BeakBrain
Photo and call practice, free in any browser.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.