Birds of the World

    CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae (Sandpipers, Snipes)  
Genus: Calidris (24 species)


Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) Vulnerable
Range: PAL: low Arctic to subarctic tundra of ne Palearctic: Lena to Kolyma rivers (ne Siberia)
Lake Wollumboola, New South Wales, Colombia  
   
Photograph by JJ Harrison     Copyright and usage info


Sanderling
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Range: NA, PAL: high Arctic tundra wetlands of Holarctic: nw, se Greenland, Svalbard (n of Norway), n Taymyr Pen. and Severnaya Zemlya (to n), Lena Delta and New Siberian Is. (nc Siberia), Alaskan North Slope (rare), Canadian Arctic islands from Banks to Ellesmere and s
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
  Non-breeding plumage (most common in tropical America).
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Sanderling
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Range: NA, PAL: high Arctic tundra wetlands of Holarctic: nw, se Greenland, Svalbard (n of Norway), n Taymyr Pen. and Severnaya Zemlya (to n), Lena Delta and New Siberian Is. (nc Siberia), Alaskan North Slope (rare), Canadian Arctic islands from Banks to Ellesmere and s
Two Hills County, Alberta, Canada  
   
Photograph by dfaulder     Copyright and usage info

Northern migrant. Small, fast moving species normally seen running along ocean shore. Breeding plumage is more likely seen in spring when heading north.

Dunlin
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Range: NA, PAL: low (locally high) Arctic to temperate wet tundra of Holarctic: sw to ne Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., n British Is., Scandinavia, Baltic states e through n Russia including Novaya Zemlya (n of nw Siberia) and New Siberian Is. (n of ec Russia), through C
Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada
  Non-breeding plumage.
   
Photograph by Nigel from Vancouver     Copyright and usage info

Dunlin
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) Breeding Colors
Range: NA, PAL: low (locally high) Arctic to temperate wet tundra of Holarctic: sw to ne Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Is., n British Is., Scandinavia, Baltic states e through n Russia including Novaya Zemlya (n of nw Siberia) and New Siberian Is. (n of ec Russia), through C
Hillman Marsh, Point Pelee, Canada
  Breeding plumage.
   
Photograph by Mdf (Wikipedia)     Copyright and usage info

Northern migrant. A small sandpiper.

Baird's Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)
Range: NA, PAL: high Arctic (locally to subarctic) dry tundra: Wrangel I. (n of ne Siberia and e Chukotskiy Pen. (far ne Siberia)), n, c Alaska, n Canada including Arctic islands from Banks to Ellesmere and Baffin is. and nw Greenland
Atacama, Chile  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern migrant. Winters high in the arctic and returns to other side of the globe, as far south as the southern tip of Argentina. Often found at high altitudes. Note brown spots on chest, small size, long wing tips, eyebrow, and all black bill.

Red Knot
Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Near Threatened
Range: NA, PAL: patchily in high Arctic (mainly) tundra of Holarctic: nw, e Greenland, nc Siberia, islands n of nc and ne Siberia, and n Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Siberia)
Poland  
   
Photograph by Andrej Chudy     Copyright and usage info

Red Knot
Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Near Threatened
Range: NA, PAL: patchily in high Arctic (mainly) tundra of Holarctic: nw, e Greenland, nc Siberia, islands n of nc and ne Siberia, and n Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Siberia)
California, United States  
   
Photograph by Tom Benson     Copyright and usage info

Northern migrant. A large stocky sandpiper. Grey in non-breeding plumage. Migrates from the northern arctic to as far south as south Argentina and South Africa.

Broad-billed Sandpiper
Broad-billed Sandpiper (Calidris falcinellus falcinellus)
Range: PAL: patchily in low Arctic to subarctic tundra bogs of n Palearctic: Scandinavia to Kanin Pen. (nw Russia); Taimyr Pen. (nw Siberia) and Lena to Kolyma rivers (ne Siberia)
Oulu, Finland  
 
Photograph by Crotach on Flickr   © All Rights Reserved.


Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) Near Threatened
Range: PAL: drier low Arctic tundra of nc, ne Palearctic: nw Siberia from Yamal Pen. to nw Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Siberia), and New Siberian Is. (n of nc Siberia)
Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand
  Non-breeding plumage.
   
Photograph by JJ Harrison     Copyright and usage info

Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) Near Threatened
Range: PAL: drier low Arctic tundra of nc, ne Palearctic: nw Siberia from Yamal Pen. to nw Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Siberia), and New Siberian Is. (n of nc Siberia)
Lesbos, Greece
  Breeding plumage.
   
Photograph by Dave Curtis     Copyright and usage info


White-rumped Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis)
Range: NA: high to low Arctic wet tundra of far n Nearctic: North Slope Alaska, coastal n Canada to nw Hudson Bay, and Banks to Devon and Baffin is. (ne Canada)
Sandy Lake, Two Hills County, Alberta, Canada
  The white rump can be difficult to see. Note that the lower bill is a bit lighter in color.
   
Photograph by dfaulder     Copyright and usage info

Northern migrant. Seen inland during migration.

Stilt Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)
Range: NA: high and low Arctic tundra to taiga edge of n Nearctic: North Slope of Alaska and n Canada to s Victoria I. (nc Canada); also locally w coasts of Hudson and James bays
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
  Breeding plumage.
   
Photograph by Graham Montgomery   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern migrant. Note large size and long legs. Seen inland during migration.

Purple Sandpiper
Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Range: NA, PAL: high to low montane Arctic of North Atlantic and Arctic oceans: Greenland (except n, ne), Iceland, Jan Mayen (ne of Iceland), Bear I. and Svalbard (n of Norway), Scandinavia to far nw Russia, Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya (n of nw Siberia) and Severn
Germany  
   
Photograph by Andreas Trepte     Copyright and usage info


Western Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)
Range: NA, PAL: Chukotskiy Pen. s to Anadyr (ne Siberia; few), St. Lawrence I. (Bering Sea) and w, n Alaska mainland
Vancouver, Canada  
   
Photograph by Nigel from Vancouver     Copyright and usage info

Northern migrant. Note rufous backside.

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
Range: NA, PAL: high to low Arctic wet tundra of Holarctic: Yamal Pen. (nw Siberia) e to Chukotskiy Pen., s to Anadyr, including New Siberian and Wrangel is. (ne Russia); w, n Alaska through ne Canada, including Arctic islands from Banks to Devon and Southampton (ne Cana
Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern migrant. Note yellow legs and slightly larger size than other sandpipers. Also note light colored lower mandible.

Little Stint
Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
Range: PAL: high to low Arctic drier tundra of n Palearctic: far n Scandinavia, White Sea coast, s Novaya Zemlya, through n Russia to New Siberian Is. (ec Siberia)
Germany  
   
Photograph by Andreas Trepte     Copyright and usage info


Least Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
Range: NA: low Arctic and subarctic n Nearctic tundra and taiga wetlands: e Aleutian Is., all Alaskan mainland, n Canada from n Yukon to n British Columbia, e to s James Bay, Ungava Pen., Labrador and Nova Scotia
Curry Hammock State Park, Florida,  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern migrant. Note yellow-green legs.

Rock Sandpiper
Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis)
Range: PAL, NA: coastal low Arctic to subarctic tundra of far n Pacific: e Chukotskiy Pen. to (disjunctly) s Kamchatka, Commander and (perhaps) n Kuril is. (e Russia), Aleutian and Bering Sea is., w Alaska from Seward Pen. to Gulf of Alaska is.
Nome-Teller Highway, Alaska,  
   
Photograph by Nigel Voaden   © All Rights Reserved.


Ruff
Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
Range: PAL: low Arctic to temperate tundra and steppe of Palearctic: nw Europe from Belgium and Scandinavia s through n Ukraine, nw Kazakhstan, n Mongolia to far e Siberia
Marievale Nature Reserve, South Africa
  Non-breeding plumage. Note smooth unmarked scaled feathers compared to Wood Sandpiper and others.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Ruff
Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
Range: PAL: low Arctic to temperate tundra and steppe of Palearctic: nw Europe from Belgium and Scandinavia s through n Ukraine, nw Kazakhstan, n Mongolia to far e Siberia
Hortobágyi Nemzeti Park, Hungary  
   
Photograph by Andrej Chudy     Copyright and usage info

Male Ruff are stunning in breeding plumage, and can have a black, white or rufous head and neck.

Semipalmated Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) Near Threatened
Range: NA, PAL: low (locally high) Arctic to subarctic tundra of far ne Palearctic and Nearctic: e Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Siberia), w, n Alaska and n Canada including most of mainland Nunavut, around Hudson and James bays and e to n Labrador, and s Canadian Arctic islands f
Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
  Semipalmated refers to the webbing on the feet. An uncommon sandpiper.
   
Photograph by Mdf (Wikipedia)     Copyright and usage info

Northern migrant. Uncommon. Usually seen along the coast.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea) Critically Endangered
Range: PAL: coastal low Arctic to subarctic tundra of ne Siberia: ne, e Chukotskiy Pen. to n Kamchatka Pen. (ne Russia)
Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand  
   
Photograph by JJ Harrison     Copyright and usage info


Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) Near Threatened
Range: PAL: coastal low Arctic to subarctic tundra of nc, ne Siberia: Taymyr Pen. (nc Siberia) e to Chukotskiy Pen. and s to n Kamchatka Pen. (ne Russia)
Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand  
   
Photograph by JJ Harrison     Copyright and usage info

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) Near Threatened
Range: PAL: coastal low Arctic to subarctic tundra of nc, ne Siberia: Taymyr Pen. (nc Siberia) e to Chukotskiy Pen. and s to n Kamchatka Pen. (ne Russia)
California, United States  
   
Photograph by Julio Mulero     Copyright and usage info


Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint (Calidris subminuta)
Range: PAL: subarctic to temperate bogs of c, e Palearctic: disjunctly from sw to s Chukotskiy Pen., n Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); (perhaps) n Mongolia
Pak Thale, Ban Laem, Phetchaburi, Thailand  
   
Photograph by JJ Harrison     Copyright and usage info


Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) Near Threatened
Range: NA, PAL: high Arctic dry coastal tundra of far ne Palearctic and n Nearctic: n Chukotka e from Wrangel I. (n of ne Siberia), Alaskan North Slope from Pt. Barrow e through ne Canada, including Arctic is. from Banks to Devon is. (ne Canada)
New York, United States  
   
Photograph by Tim Lenz     Copyright and usage info


Temminck's Stint
Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii)
Range: PAL: low (locally high) Arctic to subarctic tundra of n Palearctic: s to n Scandinavia e through n Russia to e Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Russia), including New Siberian Is. (n of nc Siberia)
Germany  
 
Photograph by Andreas Trepte     Copyright and usage info


Great Knot
Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) Endangered
Range: PAL: low Arctic and subarctic montane tundra: ne Siberia from Yakutsk e to Anadyr Pen.
Pak Thale, Ban Laem, Phetchaburi, Thailand
  Non-breeding plumage.
 
Photograph by JJ Harrison     Copyright and usage info


Surfbird
Surfbird (Calidris virgata)
Range: NA: montane low Arctic to subarctic w Nearctic tundra: Alaska mainland (except far n) and Yukon (nw Canada)
Coronado, San Diego County, California,  
   
Photograph by Vic Murayama     Copyright and usage info

Surfbird
Surfbird (Calidris virgata)
Range: NA: montane low Arctic to subarctic w Nearctic tundra: Alaska mainland (except far n) and Yukon (nw Canada)
Nacional Reserva Paracas, Peru
  Note grey chest in non-breeding plumage.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern migrant. Similar in size to the common Ruddy Turnstone, and often seen with that species.


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