Photo: Janne Teivonen / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 48.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Tringa
- Species solitaria
Where it lives
Subarctic to temperate zone taiga muskeg of Nearctic: Alaska mainland (except far northern), northwest to southwestern Canada, eastern south of Hudson and James bays and north of Great Lakes to eastern Quebec (at least)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 48.4 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Solitary Sandpiper hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Solitary Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) is a member of the Scolopacidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA subarctic to temperate zone taiga muskeg of Nearctic: Alaska mainland (except far n), nw to sw Canada, e s of Hudson and James bays and n of Great Lakes to e Quebec (at least).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 48.4 g, with a wing length of about 12.7 cm and a tail of around 5.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 5.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Solitary Sandpiper?
The Solitary Sandpiper is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 48.4 g.
Where does the Solitary Sandpiper live?
The Solitary Sandpiper is found across North America with a range covering NA subarctic to temperate zone taiga muskeg of Nearctic: Alaska mainland (except far n), nw to sw Canada, e s of Hudson and James bays and n of Great Lakes to e Quebec (at least), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Solitary Sandpiper belong to?
The Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Solitary Sandpiper eat?
The Solitary Sandpiper hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Solitary Sandpiper migrate?
The Solitary Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Solitary Sandpiper endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Solitary Sandpiper make?
1 real field recording of the Solitary Sandpiper — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Solitary Sandpiper's range?
The Solitary Sandpiper has a mapped global range of about 5.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Scolopacidae
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Extinct
Vulnerable
More in Shorebirds
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Extinct
Not Evaluated