# Pectoral Sandpiper (*Calidris melanotos*) The Pectoral Sandpiper is a small bird that loves to wade in shallow waters. It has a special pectoral muscle that helps it run fast and catch food like insects and tiny fish. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Pectoral Sandpiper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pectoral_Sandpiper3.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pectoral_Sandpiper3.jpg) ## Appearance The Pectoral Sandpiper has a streaky brown back and a striking white belly with a sharply defined brown breast band. Its yellowish legs and a slightly downcurved bill help it forage in wet areas. This distinct breast band makes it look like it's wearing a 'vest'. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Pectoral Sandpipers lay eggs with pointy ends, so they fit snugly in the nest! - Some Pectoral Sandpipers travel from the Arctic all the way to Antarctica's doorstep! - The mother Pectoral Sandpiper raises her chicks all by herself in the frosty Arctic! - These birds fly past the equator TWICE every year on their amazing journey! ## Special abilities - **Muddy Camouflage Master:** Pectoral Sandpiper has mottled brown feathers that help it blend perfectly into muddy tundra and shorelines, hiding from predators. - **Booming Chest Display:** Pectoral Sandpiper males can inflate a special chest sac to make booming calls during dazzling aerial courtship displays. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 18-25 cm - **Wingspan:** 38-48 cm - **Weight:** 0.04-0.12 kg - **Lifespan:** 6-8 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 21-23 days - **Migration Distance:** 26000 km ## Diet & Feeding These little birds love to slurp up small insects and tiny critters from soggy ground. - **Primary Foods:** Insect larvae, Beetles, Flies, Spiders, Small crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Eggs and chicks are prey for this cunning tundra predator. - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Swift falcons hunt adult sandpipers during migration and breeding. - **Eats:** Midge (*Chironomus tentans*) — Eats larvae and adults of midges and other small insects. - **Depends on:** Water Sedge (*Carex aquatilis*) — Relies on sedges for nesting cover in wet tundra habitats. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [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 so they feel safe and can fly away if they need to. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pectoral 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 Pectoral Sandpiper? 18-25 cm ### What is Pectoral Sandpiper's wingspan? 38-48 cm ### How much does Pectoral Sandpiper weigh? 0.04-0.12 kg ### How long does Pectoral Sandpiper live? 6-8 years ### How fast can Pectoral Sandpiper move? 70 km/h ### What does Pectoral Sandpiper eat? These little birds love to slurp up small insects and tiny critters from soggy ground. ### Where is Pectoral Sandpiper usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Isaac Franklin Plantation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/isaac-franklin-plantation) — Tennessee, US · Historic Site - [Sedgwick County Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sedgwick-county-zoo) — Kansas, US · Zoo - [Crowley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crowley-historic-district) — Louisiana, US · Historic District - [Dundy County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dundy-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Orford Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/orford-street-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District [View all places to see Pectoral Sandpiper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pectoral-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: [Pectoral Sandpiper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pectoral-sandpiper)