Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 7.1–9.4 in
18–24 cm - Wingspan
- 15.4 in
39 cm - Weight
- 2–4.6 oz
57–130 g
Other Names
- Bécasseau d’Alaska (French)
- Chichicuilote de las piedras (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The Rock Sandpiper is among the most variable of sandpipers, showing a great deal of variation in size and color pattern amongst its isolated populations. The largest and brightest birds breed in the central portion of the range, while the smallest and darkest live in the southern and western part of the range.
Habitat
Shore-line
Breeds in grassy or mossy tundra in coastal or montane areas. Winters along rocky seacoasts, breakwaters, and mudflats.
Food
Insects
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Condition at Hatching
- Active and covered with down.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Probing
Conservation
Least Concern
No known recent changes in abundance.
Credits
- Gill, R. E., P. S. Tomkovich, and B. J. McCaffery. 2002. Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis). In The Birds of North America, No. 686 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.