Photo: Zeynel Cebeci / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 62 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 glareola
Where it lives
Inland subarctic to temperate wooded wetlands of northern Palearctic: Scotland (northern British Isles), northern Scandinavia, Austria east through inland northern Russia to western Chukotskiy Pen., to eastern Siberia and northeastern China, in south through northern Mongolia, northeastern China, Kamchatka and Commander Is. (eastern Russia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 62 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Wood Sandpiper hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Wood Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) is a species of sandpipers, snipes in the family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia — inland subarctic to temperate wooded wetlands of n Palearctic: Scotland (n British Isles), n Scandinavia, Austria e through inland n Russia to w Chukotskiy Pen., to e Siberia and ne China, in s through n Mongolia, ne China, Kamchatka and Commander Is. (e Russia).
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Wood Sandpiper?
The Wood Sandpiper is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 62 g.
Where does the Wood Sandpiper live?
The Wood Sandpiper is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL inland subarctic to temperate wooded wetlands of n Palearctic: Scotland (n British Isles), n Scandinavia, Austria e through inland n Russia to w Chukotskiy Pen., to e Siberia and ne China, in s through n Mongolia, ne China, Kamchatka and Commander Is. (e Russia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Wood Sandpiper belong to?
The Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Wood Sandpiper eat?
The Wood Sandpiper hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Wood Sandpiper migrate?
The Wood Sandpiper is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Wood 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 Wood Sandpiper make?
1 real field recording of the Wood 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 Wood Sandpiper's range?
The Wood Sandpiper has a mapped global range of about 17 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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