Semipalmated Sandpiper

Calidris pusilla

A sparrow-sized sandpiper that can double its weight before flying nonstop up to 2,000 miles over the ocean.

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About the Semipalmated Sandpiper

Semipalmated sandpipers are about the size of a sparrow and weigh 17 to 51 grams, depending on how much fat they've stored. They have black legs and bills, gray backs and white chests. They nest near fresh water in the Arctic and stop at oceans, lakes and wetlands during migration. They eat worms, fly larvae, tiny crustaceans and mollusks, and even a slimy layer of algae on mudflats called biofilm.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Calidris pusilla^[1]
Weight: 17 to 51 grams, depending on stored fat.^[1]
Lifespan: The oldest known was 16 years old.^[1]
Diet: Worms, fly larvae, tiny crustaceans, mollusks and biofilm.^[1]
Habitat: Arctic tundra near fresh water; beaches, lakes and wetlands in migration.^[1]
Where it lives: Breeds in the subarctic and Arctic; migrates to South America.^[1]
Group life: Territorial when nesting; mixed flocks in migration. Active by day.^[1]
Babies: 4 eggs, incubated by both parents.^[1]
Conservation status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, assessed 2024).^[2]

Fun facts

Some double their body weight before migrating.^[1]
Some fly nonstop up to 2,000 miles over the Atlantic Ocean.^[1]
Males make a sound like a motorboat to attract a mate.^[1]

Vocabulary

biofilm: A slimy layer of tiny algae and living things on mud or rocks.
semipalmated: Having toes that are partly webbed.
migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
scrape: A shallow hollow in the ground that a bird uses as a nest.
near threatened: A conservation label meaning a species may soon be at risk of dying out if things don't improve.

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. “Semipalmated sandpiper.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/semipalmated-sandpiper (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Calidris pusilla (Semipalmated Sandpiper).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22693373/255806237 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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