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ABOUT THIS SPECIES

SANDERLING – (Species Account Blog #64)

TAXONOMIC TREE:  

• ORDER: Charadriiformes,
• FAMILY: Scolopacidae,
• BINOMIAL NAME: Calidris alba

The Sanderling is a small, plump sandpiper, most commonly associated with sandy coastal beaches, which it occupies in winter and while on migration. When foraging on sandy beaches, Sanderlings move quickly, running ahead of incoming waves and chasing after receding ones, probing the sand for food. Although its numbers are generally small locally, the Sanderling is a cosmopolitan bird during the non-breeding season. It may be found on almost any sandy beach, anywhere on the planet! (from Birds of the World)

SIMILAR SPECIES

In nonbreeding plumage, may be confused with other similarly sized sandpipers (Western Sandpiper comparison below), but whiteness of plumage (especially white face) combined with short, straight, black bill, and sandy habitat are key distinguishing characteristics.

DISTRIBUTION

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PERSONAL OBSERVATION ANECDOTES

In Costa Rica we observed Sanderlings while on the boat tour at the mouth of the Tárcoles River.

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PHOTO GALLERY

**Some of these Photo Gallery images (all taken by me) have been taken in other nearby countries.

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RECENT BLOG POSTS

View the five most recent Birds & Birding in Costa Rica series blog posts below.

• A Streak-headed Woodcreeper Feeds its Offspring Near the Arenal Observatory Lodge, Costa Rica
• PALE-BILLED WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
• SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
• HOFFMANN’S WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
• BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding