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8

Sanderling (Calidris alba) Size: 16-22 cm; wing span 40-45 cm Weight: 40-100 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Sanderlings are small waders. Their plumage is cryptic. When seen in Arabia, 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. Twitcher's tip 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.

Taxonomy, classification See Sanderling at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat 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 . The global distribution of the Sanderling is available HERE . 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 that either spend the winter near the coastlines of the Arabian peninsula or are on their passage between Asia and Africa. Outside their breeding season Sanderlings have a preference for sandy beaches.

Sightings Click here for sighting information A Sanderling was first been spotted by us at Ras Al-Hadd, near the eastern tip of Oman, 250 km East of Muscat, in May 2010. Shortly afterwards we spotted the species again on a beach in the Batinah region, about 100 km West of Muscat.

Photos

ADULT

BREEDING

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Sanderling in breeding plumage scavenging on dead fish
[Sohar, May 2010]

Near-frontal view of a Sanderling in breeding plumage scavenging on dead fish
[Sohar, May 2010]

Lateral view of a Sanderling in breeding plumage
[Sohar, May 2010]

NON-BREEDING

Sex unknown

Close-up frontal view of a Sanderling in non-breeding plumage
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Near-frontal view of a Sanderling in non-breeding plumage
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Lateral view of a Sanderling in non-breeding plumage
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Lateral view of a Sanderling in non-breeding plumage with its head up
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Near-dorsal view of two Sanderlings in non-breeding plumage checking the water's edge for prey
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Two Sanderlings in non-breeding plumage checking the water's edge for prey
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Lateral view of a Sanderling in non-breeding plumage in flight
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Behaviour

Here an example showing that Sanderlings do scavenge.

This Sanderling was not standing where it is without a specific reason; however, the competition was strong - a second-winter Sooty Gull
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Sanderling and second-winter Sooty Gull coming to a peaceful agreement: "I'll have this one, you take that!"
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

The competition can change
[Ras Al-Hadd, May 2010]

Additional information

More photos were obtained by us in Australia.

Food, Diet

Apart from hunting for insects and other small animals along the edges of shallow water, we have observed Sanderlings scavenging on dead fish (see above). Sanderlings were seen by us around salt water.

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.

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