# Calidris Sandpipers (*Calidris*) Calidris sandpipers are small, wading birds that love to run along the shore. They have long legs and beaks that help them find tiny food in the sand and water. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Calidris Sandpipers](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Semipalmated_sandpiper_at_JBWR_%2830545%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Semipalmated_sandpiper_at_JBWR_%2830545%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Calidris Sandpipers are small to medium shorebirds with compact bodies, typically sporting brownish-grey upperparts and lighter, often streaked, underparts. Their bill shapes and lengths vary, from short and stout to moderately long and slightly downcurved, but they all share an active, bustling appearance near water. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Baby sandpipers are called "precocial" because they can walk and feed themselves very soon after hatching! - Some species of sandpipers completely change their feather colors for breeding season! - Their tiny, three-toed footprints are often the only clue that these busy birds were there! - They can drink salty ocean water and still stay hydrated thanks to special glands! ## Special abilities - **Super Sniffer Beaks:** Calidris Sandpipers have highly sensitive bill tips that help them detect tiny prey hidden beneath the sand and mud without seeing it. - **Endurance Flight Masters:** Calidris Sandpipers can fly thousands of miles during migration because they have incredible endurance and efficient flight patterns. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Calidris Sandpipers have cryptic plumage that helps them blend perfectly with their sandy or muddy surroundings, avoiding predators. - **Rapid-Fire Feeding:** Calidris Sandpipers can quickly probe the ground many times per second to catch small invertebrates before they can escape. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-25 cm - **Wingspan:** 25-50 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.12 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-15 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 20-23 days - **Migration Distance:** 15000 km ## Diet & Feeding They feast on tiny creatures like worms and crustaceans found in wet sand and mud. - **Primary Foods:** marine worms, small crustaceans, insect larvae, tiny mollusks, aquatic insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — A swift aerial predator of shorebirds. - **Eaten by:** [Herring Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/herring-gull) (*Larus argentatus*) — Gulls can prey on sandpipers, especially juveniles. - **Hunts:** Lugworm (*Arenicola marina*) — A common prey item found in sandy and muddy substrates. - **Hunts:** Mud Shrimp (*Corophium volutator*) — Small crustaceans often found in tidal flats, a key food source. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch sandpipers from a distance so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Calidris Sandpipers? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Calidris Sandpipers? 13-25 cm ### What is Calidris Sandpipers's wingspan? 25-50 cm ### How much does Calidris Sandpipers weigh? 0.02-0.12 kg ### How long does Calidris Sandpipers live? 5-15 years ### How fast can Calidris Sandpipers move? 60 km/h ### What does Calidris Sandpipers eat? They feast on tiny creatures like worms and crustaceans found in wet sand and mud. ### Where is Calidris Sandpipers usually found? Coastal areas ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Calidris Sandpipers: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/calidris-sandpipers)