Sandpipers

Birds of North America

Actitis, Bartramia, Calidris, Tringa & Tryngites

Lives, Habitats & Pictures of the Sandpipers

There are at least twenty two native and vagrant species of sandpipers identified in North America. Almost all of these types of sandpipers migrate into the northern ranges of the continent, where they nest and raise their young.

Sandpipers are a challenge for even the experienced birder, to always have the confidence in identifying each bird with certainty. There are subtle differences between some species, when trying to determine between their colours, sizes and calls, taking into account whether they are in breeding plumage or non-breeding plumage and then whether they are juvenile or adult.

The largest number of threatened sandpiper species are the ones that share their habitat with civilization. These being the Upland Sandpiper and the Spotted Sandpiper, where as the Upland Sandpiper is losing its pastures to crops and development and the Spotted Sandpiper through the loss of suitable shorelines.

Click on the bird names listed below to see pictures of the Sandpipers of North America
Baird's Sandpiper	Buff-breasted Sandpiper	Least Sandpiper	Pectoral Sandpiper
Purple Sandpiper	Semipalmated Sandpiper	Solitary Sandpiper	Spotted Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper	Upland Sandpiper	Western Sandpiper	White-rumped Sandpiper