# Wood Sandpiper (*Tringa glareola*) The Wood Sandpiper is a small bird that loves to wade in shallow waters. It has long legs and a beautiful spotted body, making it a delightful sight near lakes and marshes. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Wood Sandpiper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Liro_uimarannalla.jpg&width=800) Photo: Koskikara at Finnish Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Liro_uimarannalla.jpg) ## Appearance The Wood Sandpiper has grey-brown upperparts with fine white speckles and a pure white belly. Its prominent white stripe above the eye and greenish-yellow legs distinguish it from similar waders. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Tringa ## Interesting facts - During breeding season, male Wood Sandpipers perform spectacular looping display flights. - Its scientific name, Tringa glareola, translates to 'sandpiper of the gravelly places'. - Newly hatched Wood Sandpiper chicks leave the nest almost immediately after drying. - This bird often bobs its head and tail when standing, looking very alert! ## Special abilities - **Disappearing Act:** Wood Sandpipers have dappled brown and white plumage that helps them blend perfectly into marshy reeds and grasses. - **Mud Prober:** Wood Sandpipers can probe soft mud with sensitive bills to find hidden insect larvae they can't see. - **Marathon Migrator:** Wood Sandpipers can fly thousands of kilometers during migration, traveling between continents each year. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 18-21 cm - **Wingspan:** 39-44 cm - **Weight:** 0.034-0.082 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-12 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 22-23 days - **Migration Distance:** 12000 km ## Diet & Feeding This sandpiper loves to slurp up small insects and their larvae from shallow muddy water. - **Primary Foods:** Aquatic insect larvae, Small crustaceans, Worms, Adult insects, Tadpoles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Predator of adult sandpipers. - **Eats:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Preys on eggs, chicks, and nesting adults. - **Eaten by:** Common Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Larvae are a primary food source. - **Eaten by:** Water Flea (*Daphnia magna*) — Small crustaceans eaten from water. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [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. - [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. - [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. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [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 be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Wood 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 Wood Sandpiper? 18-21 cm ### What is Wood Sandpiper's wingspan? 39-44 cm ### How much does Wood Sandpiper weigh? 0.034-0.082 kg ### How long does Wood Sandpiper live? 8-12 years ### How fast can Wood Sandpiper move? 60 km/h ### What does Wood Sandpiper eat? This sandpiper loves to slurp up small insects and their larvae from shallow muddy water. ### Where is Wood Sandpiper usually found? Wetlands ## 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: [Wood Sandpiper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wood-sandpiper)