# Least Sandpiper (*Calidris minutilla*) The Least Sandpiper is a small, cute bird that loves to run along the shore. It has tiny legs and a brownish body, making it great at hiding in the sand while searching for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 14 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Least Sandpiper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Least_Sandpiper.jpg&width=800) Photo: Donna Dewhurst, USFWS, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Least_Sandpiper.jpg) ## Appearance The Least Sandpiper is North America's smallest shorebird, featuring streaky brownish-gray upperparts, a whitish belly, and distinctive yellowish-green legs. Its small size and leg color make it stand out from similar sandpipers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Despite being tiny, they lay surprisingly large eggs compared to their body size! - Sometimes the dad sandpiper takes care of all the eggs and chicks by himself! - They can walk so quickly across mudflats that they look like little wind-up toys! - They don't just visit the beach; they also raise their babies far up in the Arctic! ## Special abilities - **Super Sniffer Bill:** Least Sandpiper can probe mud with its sensitive bill because it helps them find tiny hidden worms and insects. - **Tiny Traveller:** Least Sandpiper has incredible stamina that helps them fly thousands of kilometers during long migration journeys. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Least Sandpiper has streaky brown feathers that helps them blend perfectly with muddy or grassy shores to hide from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-15 cm - **Wingspan:** 28-31 cm - **Weight:** 0.019-0.03 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-5 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 19-23 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding Feeds on tiny invertebrates like insects and worms found in mud and shallow water. - **Primary Foods:** midge larvae, marine worms, small crustaceans, beetles, fly larvae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — A swift predator that hunts many shorebirds. - **Eaten by:** [Herring Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/herring-gull) (*Larus argentatus*) — Adults and chicks can be prey for larger gulls. - **Eats:** lake midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Feeds on aquatic insect larvae found in mud. - **Eats:** sand worm (*Nereis virens*) — Probes mud to find and consume various marine worms. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [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 birds from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Least Sandpiper? 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 Least Sandpiper? 13-15 cm ### What is Least Sandpiper's wingspan? 28-31 cm ### How much does Least Sandpiper weigh? 0.019-0.03 kg ### How long does Least Sandpiper live? 3-5 years ### How fast can Least Sandpiper move? 60 km/h ### What does Least Sandpiper eat? Feeds on tiny invertebrates like insects and worms found in mud and shallow water. ### Where is Least Sandpiper usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Eden Landing Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/eden-landing-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Isaac Franklin Plantation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/isaac-franklin-plantation) — Tennessee, US · Historic Site - [Lily Gardens Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lily-gardens-park) — Illinois, US · Park - [Sierra Safari Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sierra-safari-zoo) — Nevada, US · Zoo - [Texas State Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/texas-state-aquarium) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Crowley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crowley-historic-district) — Louisiana, US · Historic District [View all places to see Least Sandpiper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/least-sandpiper) ## 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: [Least Sandpiper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/least-sandpiper)