Calidris mauri
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The western sandpiper (Calidris mauri) is a small migratory shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific mauri commemorates Italian botanist Ernesto Mauri (1791–1836).
This is one of the most abundant shorebird species in North America, with a population in the millions. Within the genus Calidris the western sandpiper is most closely related to the semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla).
Adults have dark legs and a short, thin, dark bill, thinner at the tip. The body is brown on top and white underneath. They are reddish-brown on the crown. This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny shorebirds, especially the semipalmated sandpiper. This is particularly the case in winter plumage, when both species are plain grey. The western sandpiper acquires winter plumage much earlier in the autumn than the semipalmated sandpiper.
Measurements: Length: 14–17 cm (5.5–6.7 in) Wingspan: 35–37 cm (14–15 in) Weight: 22–35 g (0.78–1.23 oz) Their breeding habitat is tundra in eastern Siberia and Alaska. They nest on the ground usually under... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Havana | 🇨🇺 Cuba | |
| 6 | León | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 7 | Maracaibo | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 8 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monterey Bay Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Western Sandpiper sighting in New York City on a given day, based on 180 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 282nd most-seen of the 359 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Western Sandpiper in New York City on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Sandpiper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
19th of 27
Of the 27 cities where we can rate Western Sandpiper sightings, New York City ranks 19th at under 5%. The best odds are in Panama City (Panama, about 20%), San Diego (United States, about 10%) and San Francisco (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Sandpiper is recorded against all the birds logged in New York City (180 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
