Species
Sanderling
Calidris alba
The small, pale sandpiper that runs in and out with the waves on every Georgia beach.
Photo Ianaré Sévi (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab)
At a glance
- Size
- About 18 to 20 cm long
- Weight
- About 40 to 100 g
- Habitat
- Sandy beaches along the surf line
- Diet
- Small crabs, clams, worms and insects
- In Georgia
- A common migrant and winter visitor on beaches
- Voice
- A sharp "kip"
- Rabies vector
- No
Identification
- Key marks
- Very pale grey and white in winter; black bill and legs; black shoulder patch; runs rather than walks
- Told apart from
- Western and semipalmated sandpipers, which are browner and feed on mudflats
- Where to look
- The edge of the surf on sandy beaches
Behaviour
Sanderlings chase receding waves to probe for tiny crabs and clams, then sprint back ahead of the next wave. They lack a hind toe, which may help them run.
Why they matter
Sanderlings breed in the high Arctic and winter on beaches across the world. They are among the most familiar shorebirds on Georgia's beaches, and they depend on the tiny animals of the surf zone that also feed fish.
Reproduction and lifecycle
Nest — A scrape on Arctic tundra
Eggs — Usually four
Incubation — About 24 to 32 days
Chicks — Leave the nest within a day
Flight — At about 17 days
Lifespan — Wild birds over twelve years are recorded
Living around people
- Chasing flocks on the beach, by children or dogs, costs sanderlings energy they need for winter and migration.
Misconceptions
- Birds running from waves are playing. They are feeding, snatching prey exposed in the wet sand.
Related species
Seasonal activity
When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breeding | Jan: no | Feb: no | Mar: no | Apr: no | May: no | Jun: no | Jul: no | Aug: no | Sep: no | Oct: no | Nov: no | Dec: no |
| Active nests | Jan: no | Feb: no | Mar: no | Apr: no | May: no | Jun: no | Jul: no | Aug: no | Sep: no | Oct: no | Nov: no | Dec: no |
| Notes | Wintering | Wintering | Wintering | Moulting into breeding plumage | Migrating north | Nesting in the Arctic | First adults returning | Migrants arriving | Migrants | Wintering birds settle | Wintering | Wintering |
Where it lives
Recorded in 76 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.
United States
- Alabamain winter
- Alaska
- Arkansaspassing through
- Californiain winter
- Coloradopassing through
- Connecticutin winter
- Delawarein winter
- Floridain winter
- Georgiain winter
- Hawaiiin winter
- Idahopassing through
- Illinoispassing through
- Indianapassing through
- Iowapassing through
- Kansaspassing through
- Kentuckypassing through
- Louisianain winter
- Mainein winter
- Marylandin winter
- Massachusettsin winter
- Michiganpassing through
- Minnesotapassing through
- Mississippiin winter
- Missouripassing through
- Montanapassing through
- Nebraskapassing through
- Nevadapassing through
- New Hampshirein winter
- New Jerseyin winter
- New Yorkin winter
- North Carolinain winter
- North Dakotapassing through
- Ohiopassing through
- Oklahomapassing through
- Oregonin winter
- Rhode Islandin winter
- South Carolinain winter
- South Dakotapassing through
- Tennesseepassing through
- Texasin winter
- Utahpassing through
- Vermontpassing through
- Virginiain winter
- Washingtonin winter
- Wisconsinpassing through
- Wyomingpassing through
Canada
- Albertapassing through
- British Columbiain winter
- Manitobabreeding
- New Brunswickpassing through
- Newfoundland and Labradorpassing through
- Northwest Territoriesbreeding
- Nova Scotiain winter
- Nunavutbreeding
- Ontariopassing through
- Prince Edward Islandpassing through
- Quebecpassing through
- Saskatchewanpassing through
- Yukonpassing through
Mexico
- Baja Californiain winter
- Baja California Surin winter
- Campechein winter
- Chiapasin winter
- Colimain winter
- Guerreroin winter
- Jaliscoin winter
- Michoacanin winter
- Nayaritin winter
- Oaxacain winter
- Quintana Rooin winter
- Sinaloain winter
- Sonorain winter
- Tabascoin winter
- Tamaulipasin winter
- Veracruzin winter
- Yucatanin winter
If you found one
Answer a few questions and you will get a specific answer for what you are looking at.
I found an animal