# Semipalmated Sandpiper (*Calidris pusilla*) The Semipalmated Sandpiper is a small, quick bird that loves to run along the shore. It has tiny webbed feet that help it wade through water and find tasty bugs to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 18 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Semipalmated Sandpiper](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 Semipalmated Sandpiper is a small shorebird with short, dark legs and a relatively straight, dark bill. Its upperparts are brownish-grey, and its underparts are white. It's distinguished by its partially webbed toes and quick, scurrying movements. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Parents leave their chicks after hatching, letting them grow up fast! - Their "semi-palmated" name means they have small webs on their toes! - These tiny birds eat so fast, they can snatch over 30 snacks a minute! - They breed in the Arctic tundra, where summer days are super long! ## Special abilities - **Surefooted Forager:** Semipalmated Sandpiper has partially webbed feet that help them walk on soft mud without sinking. - **Sensitive Sniffer:** Semipalmated Sandpiper can find tiny prey by probing mud, sensing vibrations with its bill. - **Migration Master:** Semipalmated Sandpiper can fly thousands of kilometers between continents without stopping. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-15 cm - **Wingspan:** 28-31 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.036 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-8 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4 - **Incubation:** 19-22 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding These tiny birds gobble up small insects and worms found in mud and sand! - **Primary Foods:** Marine worms, Insect larvae, Small crustaceans, Amphipods, Mollusks - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Merlin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/merlin) (*Falco columbarius*) — Migrating falcons actively hunt these shorebirds. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Preys on nests, eggs, and chicks in tundra. - **Eaten by:** Sandworm (*Nereis virens*) — A major food source in coastal mudflats. - **Eaten by:** Amphipod (*Corophium volutator*) — Tiny crustaceans are critical prey. ## 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. - [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 Semipalmated 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 Semipalmated Sandpiper? 13-15 cm ### What is Semipalmated Sandpiper's wingspan? 28-31 cm ### How much does Semipalmated Sandpiper weigh? 0.02-0.036 kg ### How long does Semipalmated Sandpiper live? 3-8 years ### How fast can Semipalmated Sandpiper move? 70 km/h ### What does Semipalmated Sandpiper eat? These tiny birds gobble up small insects and worms found in mud and sand! ### Where is Semipalmated Sandpiper 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 - [Bellport Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellport-village-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Dundy County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dundy-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Fort De Soto Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-de-soto-park) — US · Nature Reserve - [Howard Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/howard-avenue-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Semipalmated Sandpiper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/semipalmated-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: [Semipalmated Sandpiper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/semipalmated-sandpiper)