Common Sandpiper Bird Facts (Actitis hypoleucos)

The Common Sandpiper displays a brown upperside with a distinctive white underside. Its back and wings have a mottled brown pattern, while the breast has fine brown streaks. The bird has a medium-length, straight bill and olive-green legs.

There is little difference between males and females. Juveniles resemble adults but have buff-tipped wing coverts and a more barred appearance on the upperparts.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Garden habitats.

The Common Sandpiper can be found in Wetland habitats.

The Common Sandpiper can be found in Coastal habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Urban habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Common Sandpiper is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Common Sandpipers inhabit many freshwater and coastal habitats, including rivers, lakes, estuaries, and rocky shores. They breed across Europe and Asia, from the UK to Japan.

During winter, they migrate to Africa, southern Asia, and Australia. They are summer visitors in the UK, arriving in April and departing by September, with some birds overwintering in southern England.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Common Sandpiper. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season

Cyprus Gibraltar Guam Micronesia Northern Mariana Islands Palau

Species that pass through the area during migration

Jordan South Sudan

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Faroe Islands Fiji Iceland Kiribati New Zealand Samoa United States of America

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Common Sandpiper exhibits remarkable agility, demonstrated by its distinctive 'teetering' walk and ability to navigate varied waterside terrains. Its quick, nimble movements along shorelines and capacity for swift, low flights over water indicate high manoeuvrability.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

Whilst not particularly strong for its size, the Common Sandpiper possesses adequate strength for its lifestyle. It can carry out long-distance migrations and perform display flights, but its small size and reliance on agility over power suggest moderate strength.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

This species shows high adaptability, thriving in diverse habitats from freshwater bodies to coastal areas across multiple continents. Its ability to swim and dive when threatened, despite lacking webbed feet, further demonstrates its adaptiveness.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Common Sandpipers are not notably aggressive birds. They're often seen foraging alone or in small groups and are more likely to flee from threats than confront them. However, they may display some territorial behaviour during breeding season.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

The Common Sandpiper demonstrates considerable endurance, particularly during its long-distance migrations. Some individuals can fly up to 6,000 km during these journeys, indicating robust stamina. Their ability to breed at elevations up to 3,000 metres also suggests good endurance.

Common Sandpipers primarily feed on small invertebrates such as insects, crustaceans, and worms. They forage by picking prey from the ground or water's surface, often running along shorelines and probing in shallow water with their bills.

Common Sandpipers are known for their distinctive 'teetering' walk, constantly bobbing their tails up and down. When flying, they exhibit a characteristic flight pattern with stiff, bowed wings and rapid wingbeats. These birds are often seen alone or in small groups, foraging along water edges.

The Common Sandpiper's call is a distinctive, high-pitched 'tweet-tweet' or 'swee-wee'. During the breeding season, males produce a trilling song in flight, described as a rapid series of 'ti-ti-ti' notes. Their alarm call is a sharp, piercing 'peet'.

Common Sandpipers form monogamous pairs during the breeding season, which typically begins in May. Males perform display flights to attract females, often calling loudly.

Nests are usually shallow scrapes on the ground, lined with grass and leaves, often hidden in vegetation near water. Females lay 3-4 eggs, which are pale buff with brown spots.

Both parents incubate the eggs for about 21-22 days. Chicks are precocial and can leave the nest shortly after hatching, fledging after 26-28 days.

The Common Sandpiper typically lives for 8 to 10 years.

Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.

While listed as Least Concern globally, Common Sandpipers face threats from habitat loss and degradation. Conservation efforts focus on protecting wetlands and coastal areas, particularly their breeding grounds in northern Europe and wintering sites in Africa and Asia.

Look for their distinctive bobbing motion along shorelines
Listen for their sharp, clear 'tweet-tweet' call
Observe their low, skimming flight over water
In the UK, watch for them near freshwater bodies from April to September

Common Sandpipers are preyed upon by various birds of prey, including falcons and hawks, as well as mammals such as foxes and stoats.

Common Sandpipers can swim and dive when threatened despite not having webbed feet.
They have been known to return to the same breeding site for multiple years.
Some individuals can fly up to 6,000 km during migration.

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