BirdUp · Species
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos(Linnaeus, 1758)
Updated
- Order
- CHARADRIIFORMES
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Genus
- Actitis
At a glance
The Common Sandpiper is a medium-sized bird, about 19–21 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 19–21 cm
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Very common
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a Common Sandpiper look like?
The Common Sandpiper is a medium-sized bird, about 19–21 cm long and weighing 35–78 g.
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 member of the closely related genus Tringa.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
03 · When
When to look
When can you see a Common Sandpiper?
The Common Sandpiper is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a Common Sandpiper eat?
The Common Sandpiper feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, intertidal invertebrates and fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks or alone.
06 · Gallery
Plumage up close
6 photos
The BirdUp app
Log your next Common Sandpiper in the field
A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.