Sandpipers · Shorebirds
Sanderling
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Calidris alba
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Voice
Call
Call
Alarm
How to recognize it
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18–20 cm; plump, with a thick bill
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Almost white in winter, with a dark shoulder patch; rusty head, neck and breast in summer
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Runs quickly along the surf edge after retreating waves, often stopping to pick food
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Broad white wingbar in flight
About the species
In winter, the Sanderling is almost white, with a dark patch on each shoulder and a dark stripe along the folded wing; its bill and legs are black. In summer, rusty red spreads across the face, neck and chest, while dark marks break up the back and the belly remains white. Juveniles show a sharper black-and-white pattern.
At the water’s edge, it races after retreating waves, probing the wet sand for small crabs and other tiny prey. Flocks feed together, and when disturbed, they may lift in a short arc over the sea before returning to the shore. It is generally quiet, with short calls such as "plit" and "tuk."
It breeds on dry, stony ground in the Arctic tundra, then migrates south to coastal beaches across much of the world. Sandy shores are its main winter feeding grounds, though it also uses tidal flats, picking up small crabs, worms and other invertebrates brought within reach by the surf.
Where to find
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In winter and on migration, look for sanderlings at the water’s edge on sandy sea beaches, running after retreating waves to pick up washed-up crustaceans and worms.
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On sandy tidal flats as the tide recedes, watch for repeated bill jabs into the sand as they search for buried invertebrates.
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In late May or early June, on Arctic tundra near the first thawed patches, males display low over the ground with harsh calls, alternating glides and fluttering flight.
