Photo: Donna Dewhurst, USFWS / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) — 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 Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 22.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Calidris
- Species minutilla
Where it lives
Low Arctic and subarctic northern Nearctic tundra and taiga wetlands: eastern Aleutian Is., all Alaskan mainland, northern Canada from northern Yukon to northern British Columbia, east to southern James Bay, Ungava Pen., Labrador and Nova Scotia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.9 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Least Sandpiper hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Least Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) is a species of bird in the Scolopacidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA low Arctic and subarctic n Nearctic tundra and taiga wetlands: e Aleutian Is., all Alaskan mainland, n Canada from n Yukon to n British Columbia, e to s James Bay, Ungava Pen., Labrador and Nova Scotia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.9 g, with a wing length of about 8.6 cm and a tail of around 3.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Least Sandpiper?
The Least Sandpiper is a small bird that weighs around 22.9 g.
Where does the Least Sandpiper live?
The Least Sandpiper is found across North America with a range covering NA low Arctic and subarctic n Nearctic tundra and taiga wetlands: e Aleutian Is., all Alaskan mainland, n Canada from n Yukon to n British Columbia, e to s James Bay, Ungava Pen., Labrador and Nova Scotia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Least Sandpiper belong to?
The Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Least Sandpiper eat?
The Least Sandpiper hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Least Sandpiper migrate?
The Least Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Least Sandpiper endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Least Sandpiper make?
1 real field recording of the Least 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 Least Sandpiper's range?
The Least Sandpiper has a mapped global range of about 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.
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