Skip to main content

Photo: Don Faulkner / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

The Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 159 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Charadriiformes
  3. Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
  4. Genus Bartramia
  5. Species longicauda

Where it lives

Inland grassland of subarctic to northern temperate Neotropics: north to southeastern Alaska and northwestern Canada, east to southeastern Canada and New England, in south to eastern Oregon, northeastern Oklahoma and in southeast to Pennsylvania (east-central USA)

Quick facts

Weight
159 g
Family
Scolopacidae

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Upland Sandpiper is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

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

Migration

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

The Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) is a member of the Scolopacidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA inland grassland of subarctic to n temperate Neotropics: n to se Alaska and nw Canada, e to se Canada and New England, in s to e Oregon, ne Oklahoma and in se to Pennsylvania (ec USA).

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 159 g, with a wing length of about 15.9 cm and a tail of around 7.9 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.3 million km².

Songs & calls

Upland Sandpiper — Song

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

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Upland Sandpiper?

The Upland Sandpiper is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 159 g.

Where does the Upland Sandpiper live?

The Upland Sandpiper is found across North America with a range covering NA inland grassland of subarctic to n temperate Neotropics: n to se Alaska and nw Canada, e to se Canada and New England, in s to e Oregon, ne Oklahoma and in se to Pennsylvania (ec USA), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Upland Sandpiper belong to?

The Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Upland Sandpiper eat?

The Upland Sandpiper is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Upland Sandpiper migrate?

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

Is the Upland 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 Upland Sandpiper make?

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

How large is the Upland Sandpiper's range?

The Upland Sandpiper has a mapped global range of about 3.3 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Scolopacidae

More in Shorebirds

Back to top