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Sanderling
(Calidris alba)
Size: 16-22 cm; wing span 40-45 cm
Weight: 40-100 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Sanderlings are small waders.
Their plumage
is cryptic.
When seen in Australia, they are usually (but not always) in
eclipse
plumage.
During the
non-breeding season they have a white front, except
for some grey wash on the shoulders. Except for the white
frons and inconspicuous white eyebrows, the head is light-grey.
The back is grey with a brownish tinge, with dark-grey central
lines and light-grey edge lining on the wing feathers.
In-flight they show a conspicuous, broad white wing bar and a
longitudinal black bar along the centre of the uppertail.
During the breeding season, some birds develop a crisper
white front and a darker back, with more prominent scalloping
on the wings, while others develop a rich chestnut front (down
to the chest) and head that are scalloped light-grey. The
back turns chestnut, with dark-grey patches and light-grey
edge lining on the wing feathers.
The eyes have dark irises. The black bill is straight and about
as long as the size of the head. The legs and feet are black.
The legs are short, giving the species a "dumpy" appearance.
In flight the feet do not protrude beyond the tail.
Juveniles roughly resemble non-breeding
adults,
but they have a crisper scaly pattern on their back.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Compared with (the smaller)
Red-necked Stint, Sanderlings in non-breeding plumage are discernible by the LACK
of a fourth, small hind toe.
Note that Sanderlings have a very variable breeding
plumage. Some
birds show a rich chestnut front and head, while others remain
rather colourless, with some showing what looks like non-breeding
plumage with just
a bit more contrast between white and grey parts. In their
non-breeding plumage
they are the palest of all
calidrids.
The correct identification of waders ("shorebirds"), e.g. of the
Calidris, Tringa, Actitis and
related families or of the Charadrius, Pluvialis and related genera
in the field can be quite tricky. We have therefore made an attempt to
give some advice HERE.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Sanderling
at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Sanderling is available
HERE
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Sanderlings are a strongly migratory species.
They breed in suitable habitats along the northern coastline of
all continents in the northern hemisphere and on islands inside
the Arctic circle (northward of 70 degrees latitude).
Outside the breeding season they migrate to their winter
quarters. Their circumpolar distribution during the breeding
season makes it possible for them to reach the coastlines of
most continents/seas (except Antarctica), including
Europe,
the Americas,
Arabia,
Asia, Africa and even
Australia.
Sanderlings are non-breeding migrants to Australia from the North.
Arriving anywhere between the Pilbara in WA and the tropical East
coast of QLD, they populate the entire Australian seaboard, including
offshore islands
and the coastline of Tasmania. There are only a small number of
confirmed sightings in the Australian interior.
Outside their breeding season Sanderlings have a preference for sandy
beaches.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
We first spotted Sanderlings in Australia at Old Bar, NSW, in
July 2013.
B. Hensen reports seeing Sanderlings at Lee Point, Darwin, NT, in
March 2013 and July 2013. A single Sanderling was seen by us at the
same location in August 2014. P. Brown also found the species at
the same location in February 2020.
J. Greaves reports spotting Sanderlings at Kilcarnup Beach, WA, in
December 2016.
M. Eaton reports finding Sanderlings at Nudgee Beach, QLD, in March
2018.
Sanderlings were previously also spotted by us in
Oman.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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Near-lateral view of a Sanderling in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, March 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Sanderling in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, March 2018]
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NON-BREEDING |
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Lateral view of Sanderlings in various phases of moulting,
from non-breeding (light-grey) to transitional plumage; there is no bird in
breeding plumage
in this shot (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
Lateral view of two Sanderlings in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2013]
Lateral view of a Sanderling in non-breeding plumage with a completely
dust-coated bill (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kilcarnup Beach, WA, December 2016]
Lateral view of a Sanderling in non-breeding plumage in shallow water
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kilcarnup Beach, WA, December 2016]
3 Sanderlings in non-breeding plumage in shallow water
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kilcarnup Beach, WA, December 2016]
Small flock of Sanderlings in non-breeding plumage following a wave
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kilcarnup Beach, WA, December 2016]
Comparison of several Red-necked Stints in non-breeding
plumage, left, with a
Sanderling in non-breeding
plumage, on the right; note the difference in size
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2013]
Lateral view of a Sanderling in non-breeding
plumage in comparison with
a Ruddy Turnstone, also
in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, July 2013]
Lateral view of Sanderlings in non-breeding
plumage in comparison with
a Greater Sand Plover, also
in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lee Point, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
3 Sanderlings in non-breeding
plumage in flight - note the characteristic broad white wing bars
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kilcarnup Beach, WA, December 2016]
More photos were taken by us in
Oman.
No information from Australia available yet. To go to the Omani page, click
here.
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Food, Diet |
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No information from Australia available yet. To go to the Omani page, click
here.
Near-dorsal view of a Sanderling digging something out of the sand
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, March 2018]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.