# Sanderling (*Calidris alba*) Sanderlings are small, lively birds that love to run along the beach. They have fluffy white feathers and are often seen chasing the waves as they search for tiny food in the sand. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Sanderling](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2014-05-25_Sanderling%252C_Paignton_Beach%252C_Devon_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jacob Spinks from Northamptonshire, England, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014-05-25_Sanderling%252C_Paignton_Beach%252C_Devon_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Sanderling is a small, plump shorebird with a short, stout black bill and black legs. In winter, it is strikingly pale grey above and pure white below, appearing almost ghost-like on sandy beaches. It lacks a hind toe, giving it a distinctive track and running style. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Sanderlings don't have a back toe, which helps them run super fast on the sand! - These birds gain a lot of weight before migration, sometimes doubling their body mass! - They travel from Arctic nesting sites to beaches as far south as South America! - You can often spot a flock of Sanderlings running together, following the ocean waves. ## Special abilities - **Wave Chaser:** Sanderling can dart quickly along the water's edge because of its streamlined body and rapid leg movements, helping them catch prey. - **Arctic Marathoner:** Sanderling has incredible endurance and navigation skills that help them migrate thousands of kilometers between breeding and wintering grounds. - **Surf Probe:** Sanderling can efficiently probe wet sand with its sensitive bill, helping them find tiny invertebrates hidden beneath the surface. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 18-21 cm - **Wingspan:** 36-39 cm - **Weight:** 0.04-0.1 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-13 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 23-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 12000 km ## Diet & Feeding Sanderlings mostly eat tiny ocean creatures they find buried in the sand or on the surface. - **Primary Foods:** amphipods, polychaete worms, small crabs, marine snails, insect larvae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** sand flea (*Haustorius canadensis*) — Sanderlings hunt this common sand flea along the shoreline. - **Hunts:** polychaete worm (*Scoloplos armiger*) — This worm is a key food source for Sanderlings on many beaches. - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Fast falcons hunt Sanderlings during their long migrations. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Arctic foxes raid Sanderling nests for eggs and young chicks. ## 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. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [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 touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sanderling? 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 Sanderling? 18-21 cm ### What is Sanderling's wingspan? 36-39 cm ### How much does Sanderling weigh? 0.04-0.1 kg ### How long does Sanderling live? 3-13 years ### How fast can Sanderling move? 55 km/h ### What does Sanderling eat? Sanderlings mostly eat tiny ocean creatures they find buried in the sand or on the surface. ### Where is Sanderling usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Cape Charles Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-charles-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Scoville Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/scoville-park) — Illinois, US · Park - [Greater Cleveland Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greater-cleveland-aquarium-ohio) — Ohio, US · Aquarium - [Zoo de la Palmyre](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-la-palmyre) — Nouvelle-Aquitaine, FR · Zoo - [Gulf Breeze Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gulf-breeze-zoo) — Florida, US · Zoo - [Bodie Island Lifesaving and Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bodie-island-lifesaving-and-coast-guard-station) — North Carolina, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Sanderling](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sanderling) ## 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: [Sanderling: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sanderling)