Calidris fuscicollis
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The white-rumped sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) is a small migratory shorebird that breeds in the northern tundra of Canada and Alaska. This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny shorebirds; these are known collectively as "peeps" or "stints". In flight, it is more easily picked out by its namesake white rump.
The white-rumped sandpiper is a relatively small bird measuring only 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in), with a wingspan of 36–38 cm (14–15 in). The top of its body is a dull grey-brown colour and it has a white eye stripe. Its beak is of medium length, thin and dark, and its legs are very dark. This bird is often mistaken with many similar-looking sandpipers that live in its range or along its migration path.
The plumage is much less distinct during the winter; however, during all seasons males and females remain similar in their appearance. In adult breeding plumage, the crown and face have a brownish tinge. The supercilium is pale, there are black feathers on the back and there are grey edges on the wing coverts. The breast and flanks are streaked and the underparts are white. In adult winter plumage, the upperparts are a dark grey and at the... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Caroni Swamp | 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago | |
| 3 | Isla del Coco National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 4 | El Impenetrable National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 5 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Celestún Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 9 | Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 10 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Amacayacu National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 12 | Iberá National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 13 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Bastimentos Island National Marine Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 15 | Tortuguero National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 16 | Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 17 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 18 | Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 19 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 20 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 21 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Cruz de la Sierra | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 2 | Montevideo | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | |
| 3 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 4 | Rio de Janeiro | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Santos | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | Havana | 🇨🇺 Cuba | |
| 7 | Asuncion | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | |
| 8 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Caracas | 🇻🇪 Venezuela |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White-rumped Sandpiper sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 49 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 143rd most-seen of the 216 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a White-rumped Sandpiper in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in July to March, the lowest months. That is one of Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve's driest months, with about 40 mm of rain against 150 mm in June.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-rumped 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.
5th of 21
Of the 21 parks where we can rate White-rumped Sandpiper sightings, Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Península Valdés (Argentina, about 10%), Caroni Swamp (Trinidad and Tobago, about 10%) and Isla del Coco National Park (Costa Rica, under 5%).
Same genus: Calidris
The closest relatives of the White-rumped Sandpiper that you can see in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (genus Calidris, Calidris Sandpipers) are Sanderling (about 40%), Least Sandpiper (about 40%) and Western Sandpiper (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-rumped Sandpiper is recorded against all the birds logged in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (49 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
