Sanderling

Calidris alba

The world's most widespread sandpiper, the little bird that runs back and forth chasing waves on sandy beaches.

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About the Sanderling

Sanderlings are 7 to 8 inches long with a 14-inch wingspan. They nest on Arctic tundra and spend winter mostly on sandy beaches, plus lakeshores, tide pools and mudflats. They chase the waves and peck in the wet sand for crabs, worms, insects, small clams and horseshoe crab eggs. Sanderlings appear in Pixar's short film Piper.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Calidris alba^[1]
Size: 7 to 8 inches long; about 14-inch wingspan.^[1]
Lifespan: The oldest known sanderling was at least 13.^[1]
Diet: Crabs, insects, worms, small clams and horseshoe crab eggs, plus some seeds and plants.^[1]
Habitat: Arctic tundra for nesting; sandy beaches, tide pools and mudflats in winter.^[1]
Where it lives: Breeds in the Arctic; winters on beaches and other shores.^[1]
Group life: Highly social; small to large flocks.^[1]
Babies: About 4 eggs, incubated for 23 to 32 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2024).^[2]

Fun facts

Sanderlings are the only sandpipers with no back toe.^[1]
They are often compared to wind-up toys.^[1]
Sanderlings sometimes cough up little pellets of sand and shell.^[1]

Vocabulary

shorebird: A bird that lives and feeds along beaches, mudflats and other shorelines.
migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
sandpiper: A small shorebird with long legs and a thin bill.
flock: A group of birds that travel or feed together.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Sanderling.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/sanderling (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Calidris alba (Sanderling).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22693369/154671400 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

More Shorebirds

American AvocetRecurvirostra americanaAn elegant shorebird with blue legs and a long, upturned bill that it sweeps through shallow water to catch food.American Golden PloverPluvialis dominicaA speckled gold-and-black shorebird that may fly about 20,000 miles a year between the Arctic and South America.American OystercatcherHaematopus palliatusA chunky black-and-white shorebird with a bright red-orange bill that it jabs into shells to eat oysters and clams.Black-necked StiltHimantopus mexicanusA black-and-white wading bird whose long pink legs are, for its size, longer than any bird's except a flamingo's.DunlinCalidris alpinaA drooping-billed sandpiper with a black belly patch in summer that flies in swirling flocks up to 55 mph.Red KnotCalidris canutusA robin-sized shorebird that flies up to about 19,000 miles a year and refuels on horseshoe crab eggs in Delaware Bay.Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresA sturdy, orange-legged shorebird that flips over stones and shells to find food, true to its name.Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusA small, plump plover with a black 'necklace' and partly webbed toes that nests in the sub-Arctic.Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaA sparrow-sized sandpiper that can double its weight before flying nonstop up to 2,000 miles over the ocean.Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusA chunky shorebird whose 'short' bill is twice as long as its head; it probes mud like a sewing machine.Wattled JacanaJacana jacanaA 'lily trotter' with enormously long toes for walking on floating plants; fathers raise the chicks.