Sanderling

Calidris alba

The sanderling is a small, stout sandpiper that is pale in color. Adults have:

• A black, short, stout, straight bill
• Black legs
• A broad white stripe bordered in black on the wings

Sanderlings grow to 7 to 8 inches in length with a wing span of 14 inches.

Where does the sanderling live?

Sanderlings spend the summer months at their rocky Arctic tundra breeding grounds. Once their chicks hatch, sanderlings migrate south through the Chesapeake Bay region for the winter. They are found on mud flats, sandy ocean beaches and sandy edges of inland lakes and rivers. 

What does the sanderling eat?

Sanderlings feed on marine worms and small mollusks and crustaceans.

What does the sanderling sound like?

Sanderlings make a soft "wick wick" sound. At their breeding grounds, males make frog-like calls while in flight.

Where does the sanderling nest and breed?

Sanderlings nest on islands along the coast of the high Arctic tundra. Females lay three to four eggs that are dull greenish in color with small, irregular brown spots.

Other facts about the sanderling:

• Sanderlings are one of the most widespread wintering shorebirds in the world, ranging from Massachusetts to the tip of South America.
• The sanderling is the only sandpiper that lacks a hind toe, which allows it to be a strong runner.
• Regional sanderling populations are in rapid decline due to habitat degradation and increasing recreational use of sandy beaches.