About the Sanderling
The sanderling is a small wading bird. It is a circumpolar Arctic breeder, being among the most extreme northern breeding birds in the world, nesting only on the coldest tundra, north of the 5°C July isotherm; in Europe, its southernmost breeding locality is Svalbard, where only a handful (5–15) pairs breed. It is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to South America, western and southern Europe, Africa, and Australia. It is highly gregarious in winter, sometimes forming large flocks on coastal mudflats or sandy beaches.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The sanderling is a small plump sandpiper, 18–20 cm (7–8 in) in length. Its weight ranges from 40–100 g (1+1⁄2–3+1⁄2 oz). The winter bird is very pale, almost white apart from a dark shoulder patch. This is the source of the specific name, alba, which is the Latin for "white". Later in the summer, the face and throat become brick-red. The juvenile bird is spangled black and white, and shows much more contrast than the adult.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Sanderling sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kiribati, Comoros, Ethiopia, Iraq, Niue.
When to see it
Peak activity in September · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaIt is a small sandpiper, 15–18 centimetres (6–7 inches) long and weighing around 18–51.5 grams (0.63–1.82 ounces).
RuffCalidris pugnaxThe ruff has a distinctive pot-bellied appearance, with a small head, medium-length bill, longish neck and heavy body.
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaThis species has yellow-green legs and a short, thin, dark bill.
Side by side: Dunlin vs Sanderling · Least Sandpiper vs Sanderling · Sanderling vs Semipalmated Sandpiper · Ruff vs Sanderling
Learn the Sanderling for real
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