Bird GuideSandpipersCommon Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
At a Glance Range & Identification Back to Top

At a Glance

The name 'Common Sandpiper' is appropriate only in the Old World; in North America this is a rare bird, occurring in small numbers in western Alaska during migration. This is the Eurasian counterpart to our Spotted Sandpiper, with a similar teetering action as it walks along the edges of streams and ponds.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from by Kenn Kaufman漏 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Sandpiper-like Birds, Sandpipers
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Tundra and Boreal Habitats
Region
Alaska and The North
Behavior
Flap/Glide, Rapid Wingbeats, Running

Range & Identification

Description

8" (20.5 cm). Very similar to Spotted Sandpiper in winter plumage (with no spots). Has longer tail, tends to look richer brown above. Similar birds seen away from western Alaska are undoubtedly Spotted Sandpipers.
Size
About the size of a Sparrow, About the size of a Robin
Color
Brown, Gray, White, Yellow
Wing Shape
Pointed, Short, Tapered
Tail Shape
Rounded, Short, Square-tipped, Wedge-shaped

Songs and Calls

A high-pitched, piping twee-wee-wee.