Stilt Sandpiper

(Calidris himantopus) (STSA)

Photographic Identification Guide

Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) (STSA) nests in subarctic and low arctic Canada and Alaska. It winters in extreme southeastern and south-central United States, Central America, the Caribbean islands and interior South America. Its main migration routes in spring and fall are through central North America. Spring Stilt Sandpipers are scarce in the East, particularly in New England; in the fall, a small number migrate through our area.

In this guide, we cover the features, in order of importance, to look for on these birds. When discussing plumages, we use the terms winter, spring, and summer to refer to northern hemisphere seasons. Because some of these birds spend parts of the year in the northern and southern hemispheres, the correct technical terms for the plumage stages—basic and alternate—help avoid the confusion of seasonal terminology.

visual gallery

species account

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Fig. 1. Stilt Sandpiper. Winter (basic) plumage. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Austwell, TX. 29 December 2014.
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Fig. 2. Stilt Sandpipers. Winter (basic) plumage. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Austwell, TX. 29 December 2014.
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Fig. 3. Stilt Sandpipers in different stages of molt from winter (basic) to spring (alternate) plumage. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Galloway, NJ. 26 April 2023.
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Fig. 4. Stilt Sandpiper. Spring (alternate) plumage. McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, Sabine Pass, TX. 7 May 2015.
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Fig. 5. Stilt Sandpiper. Spring (alternate) plumage. Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, TX. 7 May 2015.
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Fig. 6. Stilt Sandpiper in flight. Note long legs and long down-curved bill. Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, Saugus, MA. 7 June 2020.
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Fig. 7. Stilt Sandpipers in flight. Note mostly brown wings with little, if any, pale stripe. Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA. 17 July 2021.
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Fig. 8. Stilt Sandpiper. Mid-molt to winter (basic) plumage. Note long legs and long bill. Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet, MA. 6 August 2011.
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Fig. 9. Stilt Sandpiper. Juvenile plumage. Willsboro, NY. 22 August 2007.
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Fig. 10. Stilt Sandpipers. Juveniles in different stages of molt to winter (basic) plumage. Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, East Boston, MA. 9 September 2012.
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Fig. 11. Stilt Sandpiper. Juvenile molting to winter (basic) plumage. Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA. 19 September 2022.
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Fig. 12. Comparison of Stilt Sandpiper and Short-billed Dowitchers. Note taller, yellowish legs and shorter, down-curved bill of Stilt Sandpiper. Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA. 17 July 2017.
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Fig. 13. Comparison of Stilt Sandpiper with Short-billed Dowitchers and Dunlin. Compare bill lengths and shapes, belly markings and leg colors. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Galloway, NJ. 26 April 2023.
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Fig. 14. Comparison of Stilt Sandpiper and Dunlin in flight, both in spring (alternate) plumage. Note similarity of bill shape. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Galloway, NJ. 4 May 2023.
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Fig. 15. Comparison of Stilt Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs. Note similarity in size, Compare bill length and shape. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Galloway, NJ. 26 April 2023.
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Fig. 16. Comparison of Stilt Sandpipers and Lesser Yellowlegs. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Galloway, NJ. 26 April 2023.
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Fig. 17. Shorebirds in flight. Note white wing stripe of Dunlin vs. plain gray wings of Stilt Sandpipers and white stripe up the back of the dowitcher. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Galloway, NJ. 27 April 2023.
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Fig. 18. Comparison of Stilt Sandpiper and Greater Yellowlegs. Note huge size difference. Lewis Lake, Winthrop, MA. 7 August 2014.

The photos in this species account are arranged in this order:

Basic: winter plumage, roughly September to March.

STSA begins its molt to winter (basic) plumage on its subarctic and low Arctic breeding grounds. The molt continues into late fall; full basic plumage is usually attained by mid-November; see Fig. 1, Fig. 2.

Alternate: first spring and summer after hatch year or adult breeding plumage, March to July.

Beginning in spring, winter (basic) feathers on STSA are gradually replaced by alternate feathers; see Fig. 4, Fig. 5. Replacement of alternate feathers by winter (basic) plumage begins in midsummer; see Fig. 8.

Juvenile: young birds, recently hatched, July to late September.

Juvenile feathers are acquired on the breeding grounds immediately after the natal down is shed and before the young begin their southbound migration; see Fig. 9. In fall, juvenile feathers begin to be replaced by winter (basic) plumage; see Fig 10, Fig. 11.

Size and weight

Females average larger than males and have longer bills.

Body length:

7.9–9.1 in. (20–23 cm)

Wingspan:

15–16 in. (38–41 cm)

Bill length:

1.4–1.8 in. (36–46.5 mm)

Weight:

1.8–2.5 oz. (51-71 g)

Calls

Stilt Sandpiper vocalizations on breeding grounds consist of various often harsh calls and songs. In migration, contact calls and flight calls consist of a harsh chuck or churr.

Calls in Brigantine NWR, NJ, 2021:

Calls in Brevard County, FL, 2013:

Plumage and other characteristics

In all plumages, STSA is distinctive because of the very long, slightly down-curved bill and long, usually pale legs; see Fig. 8.

On some birds, the bulbous tip to the bill is conspicuous; see Fig. 11.

STSA usually looks tall because of its long legs and long neck. When feeding, it is often hunched over with its bill probing straight down and moving like a sewing machine, somewhat like a dowitcher; see Fig. 12.

In all plumages, a bold, long, pale eyebrow (supercilium) is characteristic of the bird; see Fig. 2, Fig. 5.

Winter (basic) plumage is uniformly gray above. The crown, hind neck and cheeks are also gray. Blurred gray streaks extend from the breast to the flanks; see Fig. 1, Fig. 2.

Beginning in mid-February, winter (basic) feathers on the back (mantle) are gradually replaced by spring (alternate) feathers with bold dark centers and broad pale margins, giving the mantle a checkered appearance. Some of the mantle feathers have rufous bases. The belly, breast and neck become heavily barred; see Fig. 3, Fig. 4.

Head markings on spring (alternate) STSA consist of rufous in the crown, a bold pale eyebrow (supercilium) and rufous cheeks; see Fig. 5.

By midsummer, STSA alternate plumage begins to molt to winter (basic) plumage. Gray basic back (mantle) feathers intersperse with dark alternate feathers, producing a salt-and-pepper mantle pattern. Barred feathers on the underparts molt to white or pale gray; see Fig. 8.

Newly fledged young acquire juvenile plumage that is characteristic of many young shorebirds: back (mantle) feathers have dark centers and pale margins, giving the mantle a neatly scalloped look. Fresh juvenile plumage is often somewhat buffy, especially on the head, neck and breast; see Fig. 9, Fig 10.

By mid-September, highly patterned juvenile back (mantle) plumage begins to be replaced by plain gray winter (basic) plumage, giving these birds a subdued salt-and-pepper appearance; see Fig 10, Fig. 11.

In flight, STSA displays white rump and a gray-barred tail, long legs, a long bill and pale underwings with smudged gray patches. In spring or summer, an alternate-plumaged bird displays a barred belly and breast and a rufous cheek patch; see Fig. 6.

From above, flying Stilt Sandpipers display a pale tail and gray-brown wings and back (mantle) with few or no pale markings. See Fig. 7, Fig. 14, Fig. 17.

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Breeding range, migration, wintering range, habitat

STSA breeds in subarctic and low arctic regions of Canada and Alaska. Nesting habitats are moist sedge meadow or tundra close to feeding areas in marshes, ponds and other damp areas such as edges of tidal pools.

STSA is primarily a Central Flyway migrant; the majority of the population passes through the prairie potholes regions of central North America during spring and fall migration seasons. Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas, is a well-known migrant stopover for STSA and a number of other shorebird species.

STSA is a rare spring migrant through New England; in fall, small numbers of adults and juveniles migrate through our region.

STSA’s winter range is primarily in the interior of central and north-central South America from Bolivia and Brazil south to Chile and Argentina. Some birds winter in the southern and southeastern United States, Central America and Caribbean Islands.

During the non-breeding season, the majority of Stilt Sandpipers are seen in inland ponds, flooded fields or pastures. Sightings on ocean shores are uncommon.

Most of STSA’s food consists of adult or larval beetles, flies and other insects, small snails and some seeds. Animal matter is a very large percentage of food during the breeding season.

Similar species

STSA compared to dowitchers

Stilt Sandpipers feed in a similar manner to Long-billed and Short-billed Dowitchers, their long bills poking vertically, with a sewing-machine motion, in shallow water and mud.

Note the following:

STSA has a smaller body and is taller than either dowitcher species; STSA has a proportionally shorter bill that is distinctly down-curved; see Fig. 12, Fig. 13.
Spring and summer (alternate) plumage: STSA has rufous in the crown and a rufous cheek patch. The pale belly is boldly barred with dark brown. Dowitchers have a speckled buffy or cinnamon head, neck and breast. The buffy or rufous underparts are mostly spotted with some barring on the sides and flanks.
For in-flight comparisons, see Fig. 17. STSA has a white rump, a gray-streaked tail and solid-colored wings and back (mantle). Flying dowitchers have a prominent white stripe up the center of the back, pale tips to the rear inner half of the wings (secondary flight feathers) and a gray-barred tail.

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STSA compared to DUNL

Stilt Sandpiper (STSA) and Dunlin (DUNL) are among the few small sandpipers in North America with long, down-curved bills. For comparison images, see Fig. 13, Fig. 14, Fig. 17.

Note the following:

Despite some similarity in bill shape, STSA’s bill is tubular and thick with a blunt tip; DUNL’s bill is far more tapered with a fine tip.
STSA legs are very long and yellowish or greenish; in flight, STSA legs project well beyond the tail. DUNL legs are shorter and black; in flight they barely project beyond the tail.
In flight, seen from above, STSA’s wings are all gray. DUNL’s wings have a long white stripe.
STSA’s tail is barred gray at the tip with a white rump. DUNL’s tail is white and gray with a bold dark center stripe.
In spring or summer (alternate) plumage, STSA has a barred breast and belly. In the same season, DUNL’s belly has a black patch.

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STSA compared to LEYE

Stilt Sandpiper (STSA) and Lesser Yellowlegs (LEYE) are similar in size, though the yellowlegs is clearly the larger bird. For comparison images, see Fig. 15, Fig. 16, Fig. 17.

Note the following:

STSA has a much longer bill than LEYE. STSA’s bill is tubular and thick with a blunt tip and is slightly downcurved. LEYE’s bill is shorter, thin, tapered and straight.
In flight, bill length and shape are the best clues for separating STSA from LEYE.
LEYE’s legs are bright yellow; STSA’s legs are greenish or brownish yellow. (But beware of mud-stained legs.)
Spring and summer (alternate) plumage: STSA has a heavily barred belly and large back (mantle) feathers with dark centers and broad pale margins that appear coarse. LEYE’s undersides are lightly barred and spotted, primarily on the flanks and its back (mantle) feathers are finely checkered due to zigzag pale margins.
Spring and summer (alternate) plumage: STSA has a bold, pale eyebrow (supercilium) and rufous cheek. LEYE has a bold white eye ring. The pale line above the eye extends forward to the bill but not behind the eye.
Juvenile plumage: STSA’s back (mantle) feathers appear scalloped due to dark centers and wide pale margins. LEYE looks spotted because its mantle feathers have dark centers and white-spotted margins.
Winter (basic) plumage: STSA’s throat, neck and upper breast have smudgy gray streaks. LEYE has fine gray streaking on the sides of the head and the entire breast.
In all plumages, tertials (long feathers which cover the folded wing tips) on STSA have plain gray centers and pale margins. LEYE tertials are barred or have white zigzag margins.

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STSA compared to GRYE

Stilt Sandpiper (STSA) is much smaller than Greater Yellowlegs (GRYE); see Fig. 18. Aside from dissimilarity in size, nearly all the characteristics used to separate STSA from LEYE apply.

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