Baird's Sandpiper Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBaird's Sandpiper
Adult
Slender shorebird with broad breast, short legs, and very gently drooping, black bill. Stands with a horizontal posture and wingtips extend beyond the tail.
© Sulli Gibson / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 07, 2020Juvenile
Medium-sized sandpiper with a broad breast, short legs, and ever so slightly drooping bill. Long wings extend past end of tail. Juveniles have a buffy breast and scaly upperparts.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryOregon, August 28, 2020Juvenile
Forages for invertebrates both at the water's edge and away from it, in grassy marshes and wet fields.
© Matthew D. Medler / Macaulay LibraryNew York, September 14, 2014Not all videos have sound
Juvenile
In flight, note the long wings and weak whitish wing stripe. Also note there is a dark stripe from the lower back to the center of the tail.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 01, 2020Juvenile
Graceful, somewhat short-legged shorebird with a horizontal posture. Juveniles are scaly above with a buffy breast. Wingtips extend beyond the tail.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryMaine, September 04, 2010Breeding adult
Breeding adults have dark spotting on the back. Breeds in arctic tundra.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 18, 2012In flight (with Western Sandpiper)
In flight, note the long wings and weak whitish wing stripe (compare with Western Sandpiper, second from the right). Also note dark stripe from the lower back to the center of the tail.
© Margaret Viens / Macaulay LibraryUtah, August 27, 2016Similar SpeciesWhite-rumped Sandpiper
Breeding adult
White-rumped Sandpiper's bill droops more than Baird's Sandpiper's. They also have streaked sides and a white rump that is visible in flight that Baird's do not have.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 07, 2013Similar SpeciesWhite-rumped Sandpiper
Molting adult
White-rumped Sandpipers tend to have a more prominent eyebrow and more streaking on the flanks than Baird's Sandpipers
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, September 11, 2011Similar SpeciesSemipalmated Sandpiper
Nonbreeding adult
Semipalmated Sandpipers are smaller than Baird's Sandpipers. The wings of Semipalmated Sandpipers do not extend beyond the tail as they do on Baird's Sandpipers.
© Jonathan Eckerson / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, July 16, 2017Similar SpeciesWestern Sandpiper
Nonbreeding adult
Western Sandpipers are smaller than Baird's Sandpipers with a thicker bill and shorter wings. The wings of Western Sandpipers do not extend beyond the tail as they do on Baird's Sandpipers.
© Patrick Maurice / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, November 06, 2016Similar SpeciesLeast Sandpiper
Nonbreeding adult
Least Sandpipers are smaller than Baird's Sandpipers with yellow legs.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, September 28, 2016Similar SpeciesPectoral Sandpiper
Breeding
Pectoral Sandpipers are larger than Baird's Sandpipers with yellow (not black) legs. The breast and belly are sharply demarcated on Pectoral Sandpipers but not on Baird's Sandpipers.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 24, 2013Similar SpeciesSanderling
Nonbreeding adult
Sanderlings have a thicker bill than Baird's Sandpipers. Nonbreeding Sanderlings are paler gray than nonbreeding Baird's Sandpipers, which tend to have a buffier breast.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 16, 2014Similar SpeciesSanderling
Breeding adult
Breeding Sanderlings have rusty mottling on the back whereas breeding Baird's Sandpipers do not. Sanderlings also have a thicker bill.
© Jonathan Lugo / Macaulay LibraryVirginia, May 26, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Sandpipers and Allies(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Scolopacidae)
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