Photo: USFWS - Pacific Region / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

Vulnerable

Shorebirds

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Calidris subruficollis

Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of New South Wales Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador

By family

Sandpipers & Allies of New South Wales Sandpipers & Allies of Queensland Sandpipers & Allies of South Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Victoria Sandpipers & Allies of Western Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Alberta Sandpipers & Allies of British Columbia Sandpipers & Allies of Manitoba Sandpipers & Allies of New Brunswick Sandpipers & Allies of Newfoundland and Labrador

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The Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 62.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

VU Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
Genus Calidris
Species subruficollis

Where it lives

High Arctic dry coastal tundra of far northeastern Palearctic and northern Nearctic: northern Chukotka east from Wrangel I. (north of northeastern Siberia), Alaskan North Slope from Pt. Barrow east through northeastern Canada, including Arctic is. from Banks to Devon is. (northeastern Canada)

Quick facts

Weight: 62.1 g
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Calidris acuminata

Least Concern

Black Turnstone

Arenaria melanocephala

Near Threatened

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Endangered

Tuamotu Sandpiper

Prosobonia parvirostris

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) is a species of sandpipers, snipes in the family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in North America, Europe & Northern Asia — high Arctic dry coastal tundra of far ne Palearctic and n Nearctic: n Chukotka e from Wrangel I. (n of ne Siberia), Alaskan North Slope from Pt. Barrow e through ne Canada, including Arctic is. from Banks to Devon is. (ne Canada).

Songs & calls

Buff-breasted Sandpiper — Flight call

Recorded by Stanislas Wroza Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Buff-breasted Sandpiper?

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 62.1 g.

Where does the Buff-breasted Sandpiper live?

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL high Arctic dry coastal tundra of far ne Palearctic and n Nearctic: n Chukotka e from Wrangel I. (n of ne Siberia), Alaskan North Slope from Pt. Barrow e through ne Canada, including Arctic is. from Banks to Devon is. (ne Canada), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Buff-breasted Sandpiper belong to?

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Buff-breasted Sandpiper eat?

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Buff-breasted Sandpiper migrate?

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Buff-breasted Sandpiper endangered?

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

What sound does the Buff-breasted Sandpiper make?

1 real field recording of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Buff-breasted Sandpiper's range?

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper has a mapped global range of about 642,000 km².