# Purple Sandpiper (*Calidris maritima*) The Purple Sandpiper is a small bird that loves to stay near the ocean. It has beautiful purple-gray feathers and enjoys hopping on rocky shores to find food like tiny crabs and worms. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Purple Sandpiper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Purple_Sandpiper_%28_Calidris_maritima_%29_..._Filey_Brig_%252C_Yorkshire_%2853266204391%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: peterichman, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Purple_Sandpiper_%28_Calidris_maritima_%29_..._Filey_Brig_%252C_Yorkshire_%2853266204391%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Purple Sandpiper is a stocky, medium-sized shorebird with dusky grey-brown plumage, often showing a subtle purplish sheen in good light. It has a yellowish base to its bill and short, yellow-orange legs. Its belly is white, contrasting with its dark, mottled back. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Baby Purple Sandpipers can leave their nests mere hours after hatching! - Its 'purple' color is usually only visible in just the right sunlight. - They often nest high up in the Arctic mountains, far from the sea. - This tough bird eats its meals while powerful waves crash all around it! ## Special abilities - **Wave Rider:** Purple Sandpiper can feed in crashing waves because its sturdy body and strong legs help it stay balanced on slippery rocks. - **Arctic Survivor:** Purple Sandpiper has dense, insulating feathers that help it stay warm even in freezing Arctic winds and icy coastal waters. - **Rock Gripper:** Purple Sandpiper has short, strong toes that help it grip seaweed-covered rocks, preventing slips in turbulent conditions. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-22 cm - **Wingspan:** 38-42 cm - **Weight:** 0.05-0.105 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-15 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 21-22 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding These birds mostly eat small ocean creatures they find clinging to rocks and seaweed in the intertidal zone. - **Primary Foods:** Common Periwinkle, Blue Mussel, Amphipods, Marine worms, Small insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — hunts sandpipers during migration - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — preys on eggs and chicks - **Hunts:** [Common Periwinkle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-periwinkle) (*Littorina littorea*) — eats these marine snails - **Hunts:** [Blue Mussel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-mussel) (*Mytilus edulis*) — pries open and eats mussels ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [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. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [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. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Purple 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 Purple Sandpiper? 20-22 cm ### What is Purple Sandpiper's wingspan? 38-42 cm ### How much does Purple Sandpiper weigh? 0.05-0.105 kg ### How long does Purple Sandpiper live? 8-15 years ### How fast can Purple Sandpiper move? 70 km/h ### What does Purple Sandpiper eat? These birds mostly eat small ocean creatures they find clinging to rocks and seaweed in the intertidal zone. ### Where is Purple Sandpiper usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Rockland Residential Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rockland-residential-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District ## 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: [Purple Sandpiper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/purple-sandpiper)