# Western Sandpiper (*Calidris mauri*) The Western Sandpiper is a small, quick bird that loves to run along the beach looking for tiny bugs and worms to eat. They have long legs and a pointed beak that helps them dig in the sand. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Western Sandpiper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Western_Sandpiper.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alan D. Wilson, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Western_Sandpiper.jpg) ## Appearance The Western Sandpiper is a small shorebird with dark legs and a short, slightly drooping black bill. In breeding season, it has reddish-brown patches on its back and streaky brown markings on its breast. In winter, it appears much plainer and grayer above with a white belly. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Their tiny chicks can leave the nest and find food just hours after hatching! - Their toes are slightly webbed, which helps them walk on soft mud! - They often forage with a distinctive 'sewing machine' head-bobbing motion! - Western Sandpipers make a high-pitched 'kreep' sound, like a squeaky toy! ## Special abilities - **Tactile Forager:** Western Sandpiper can find hidden worms and crustaceans by feeling them with nerve endings in its bill, even without seeing them. - **Hypersaline Hero:** Western Sandpiper can drink salty water because specialized glands remove excess salt from its blood, helping it survive harsh coastal environments. - **Flocking Formation:** Western Sandpiper has incredible synchronized flight, helping large flocks confuse predators and efficiently find food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-17 cm - **Wingspan:** 35-37 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.035 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-12 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 21-22 days - **Migration Distance:** 10000 km ## Diet & Feeding Western Sandpipers feast on tiny worms and crustaceans found in mud and sand along the shore. - **Primary Foods:** marine worms, small crustaceans, insect larvae, tiny molluscs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — A swift hunter, preying on migrating sandpipers along the coast. - **Eats:** Mud Amphipod (*Corophium volutator*) — Feeds on these small crustaceans hidden in the soft intertidal mud. - **Depends on:** [Eelgrass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eelgrass) (*Zostera marina*) — Eelgrass beds provide shelter and food for the small invertebrates it eats. - **Eaten by:** [Herring Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/herring-gull) (*Larus argentatus*) — These opportunistic gulls may snatch sandpipers, especially injured ones. ## 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. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [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 Western 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 Western Sandpiper? 13-17 cm ### What is Western Sandpiper's wingspan? 35-37 cm ### How much does Western Sandpiper weigh? 0.02-0.035 kg ### How long does Western Sandpiper live? 10-12 years ### How fast can Western Sandpiper move? 65 km/h ### What does Western Sandpiper eat? Western Sandpipers feast on tiny worms and crustaceans found in mud and sand along the shore. ### Where is Western Sandpiper usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bolsa-chica-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Eden Landing Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/eden-landing-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Crowley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crowley-historic-district) — Louisiana, US · Historic District - [Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guadalupe-nipomo-dunes) — California, US · Natural Landmark - [Sumpter Valley Railway](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sumpter-valley-railway) — Oregon, US · Historic District - [Peace Arch Historical State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/peace-arch-historical-state-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Western Sandpiper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/western-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: [Western Sandpiper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sandpiper)