Photo: Alan D. Wilson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri
Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) — 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 Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 27.8 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 Calidris
- Species mauri
Where it lives
Chukotskiy Pen. south to Anadyr (northeastern Siberia; few), St. Lawrence I. (Bering Sea) and western, northern Alaska mainland
Quick facts
- Weight
- 27.8 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Western Sandpiper hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Western Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) is a member of the Scolopacidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, PAL Chukotskiy Pen. s to Anadyr (ne Siberia; few), St. Lawrence I. (Bering Sea) and w, n Alaska mainland.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.2 cm and a tail of around 3.8 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 310,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Western Sandpiper?
The Western Sandpiper is a small bird that weighs around 27.8 g.
Where does the Western Sandpiper live?
The Western Sandpiper is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL Chukotskiy Pen. s to Anadyr (ne Siberia; few), St. Lawrence I. (Bering Sea) and w, n Alaska mainland, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Western Sandpiper belong to?
The Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Western Sandpiper eat?
The Western Sandpiper hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Western Sandpiper migrate?
The Western Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Western 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 Western Sandpiper make?
1 real field recording of the Western 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 Western Sandpiper's range?
The Western Sandpiper has a mapped global range of about 310,000 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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