The common sandpiper is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the spotted sandpiper, make up the genus Actitis. They are parapatric and replace each other geographically; stray birds of either species may settle down with breeders of the other and hybridize. Hybridization has also been reported between the common sandpiper and the green sandpiper, a basal species of the closely related genus Tringa.
Region
Palearctic
Typical Environment
Breeds widely across temperate Europe and Asia along rivers, lakes, and marshy edges with open, pebbly or muddy shores. In non-breeding season it disperses to sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and parts of Australasia. It favors gently sloping banks, gravel bars, and the edges of reservoirs and ponds. During migration it also uses coastal estuaries, tidal flats, and sheltered bays. It avoids dense emergent vegetation and prefers open sightlines near water.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A familiar wader across the Palearctic, the common sandpiper breeds near fresh water and winters in Africa and southern Asia. It is famous for its constant tail-bobbing and low, fluttering flight just above the water’s edge. It forms a superspecies with the American spotted sandpiper, and the two can hybridize where vagrants overlap.
Egg
Wintering bird foraging matakakoni-style in Puri
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
low over water with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically forages alone or in loose proximity to others, defending small shoreline stretches in the breeding season. Nests on the ground close to water, with both parents involved in incubation and chick-rearing. Chicks are precocial and leave the nest shortly after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Most often heard as a sharp, piping ‘wee-wee-wee’ given in short bursts, especially in flight. Song is a rippling series of clear whistles delivered from a perch or during display flights. Alarm calls are rapid, repeated notes that intensify when intruders approach.
