Sanderling

Overview

Sanderling: Medium-sized sandpiper with dark-spotted, rufous upperparts, breast and white underparts. Wings have conspicuous white stripes visible in flight. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, isopods, worms, plants and insects. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Sanderling: Breeds in high Arctic tundra from Alaska eastward to Baffin Island. Spends winters along coasts from British Columbia and Massachusetts southward to southern South America. Preferred habitats include ocean beaches, sandbars, mudflats, and lake and river shorelines.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Sanderling was first described in 1764 by Peter Simon Pallas, a German naturalist.
Among shorebirds, only the Ruddy Turnstone and the Whimbrel rival its worldwide distribution.
It is predominantly monogamous, but occasionally the female lays eggs for several different males in quick succession.
A group of sanderlings are collectively known as a "grain" of sanderlings.

The Sanderling has a large range, estimated globally at 100,000 to 1,000,000 square kilometers. Native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, this bird prefers grassland, wetland, or marine ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 620,000 to 700,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Sanderling is Least Concern.