Calidris minutilla

One of the smallest sandpipers in the Americas, the Least Sandpiper may be identified by its small size (5-6 ½ inches), short wings, and yellow legs. In summer, this species is mottled brown above with a white belly, streaked breast and throat, and pale white eye-stripes. In winter, the Least Sandpiper becomes darker and duller than in summer. Males and females are similar to one another in all seasons. The Least Sandpiper has one of the southernmost breeding ranges of all North American sandpipers. This species breeds from the high arctic south to Nova Scotia and British Columbia and from Alaska east to Newfoundland. The Least Sandpiper is also one of the most widespread winter sandpipers in North America, wintering along the coast from Oregon and New Jersey south to Central America and the West Indies. This species also winters in northern South America. Least Sandpipers breed in a variety of freshwater habitats, particularly in bogs. During the winter, this species may be found in freshwater and saltwater along beaches, lagoons, estuaries, and other wet habitats near bodies of water. Least Sandpipers feed primarily on small mud-dwelling invertebrates. Least Sandpipers are most easily observed along the water’s edge, probing the mud for food with their bills. They may also be seen in small flocks flying above the surf, frequently mingling with other species of waders. This species is most active during the day.

Threat Status: Least concern

Breeds n N America; winters to s S America and Hawaiian Is..

Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Irish Exclusive economic Zone, North West Atlantic, Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone, Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone, United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone

North America; Labrador, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia, throughout the summer

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Breeding

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) BREEDS: western Alaska and northern Yukon east through southern Keewatin and Southampton Island to northern Quebec and northern Labrador, south to southern Alaska, northwestern British Columbia, northern Saskatchewan, northeastern Manitoba, northern Ontario, eastern Quebec, Nova Scotia (Sable Island) and Newfoundland, also at Monomoy, Massachusetts (AOU 1983). NORTHERN WINTER: Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, southen Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Gulf states, and North Carolina south through Middle America, West Indies, and South America (to northern Chile, eastern Peru, Brazil); uncommon but regular in Hawaii. Nonbreeders summer in winter range, primarily in North America south to California and Gulf Coast (AOU 1983).

Length: 15 cm

Weight: 21 grams

Systems

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater
• Marine

Depth range based on 6 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 2 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 0
  Temperature range (°C): 6.186 - 6.483
  Nitrate (umol/L): 1.306 - 2.517
  Salinity (PPS): 30.653 - 30.701
  Oxygen (ml/l): 7.413 - 7.553
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.412 - 0.580
  Silicate (umol/l): 2.582 - 4.529

Graphical representation

Temperature range (°C): 6.186 - 6.483

Nitrate (umol/L): 1.306 - 2.517

Salinity (PPS): 30.653 - 30.701

Oxygen (ml/l): 7.413 - 7.553

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.412 - 0.580

Silicate (umol/l): 2.582 - 4.529
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Comments: Nonbreeding: wet meadows, mudflats, flooded fields, shores of pools and lakes, narrow channels, edge of salt marsh, river sandbars, sometimes sandy beaches. Nests in mossy or wet grassy tundra, in lush vegetation near pond, occasionally in drier areas with sparse vegetation or scattered bushes. In boggy site, nest usually on or inside moss hummock or plant tuft. In dry site, nest often near a plant.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Most migrate northward through U.S. in late April and early May, arriving in nesting areas May-June. At Sable Island, Nova Scotia, begins to arrive by mid-May; females begin to migrate south by late June, males in early July, fledglings later. In British Columbia, southward adult migration was late June to early August, juvenile migration was late July to late September (Butler and Kaiser 1995, Wilson Bull. 107:413-422). Migrates through Costa Rica early August-October and early March-early May (Stiles and Skutch 1989). Arrives in northern South America by mid- to late July (juveniles first arrive mid-August), most depart by early April (Hilty and Brown 1986). May migrate from southeastern Canada directly to South America over western Atlantic (Hayman et al. 1986).

Comments: Eats small insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and worms obtained from surface of shallow water, mud, or ground, or by probing into mud (Terres 1980).

100,000 - 1,000,000 individuals

Comments: The population is estimated to be at least 600,000, perhaps considerably more (Morrison et al. 2001).

Mortality of young high at Sable Island, mostly due to herring gull predation. Adults and fledglings tend to flock assortatively in late summer (Miller 1983). Nonbreeding: usually in small groups, singly, or from late winter onward in pairs (Stiles and Skutch 1989).

Vagrant

Comments: See Robert et al. (1989). Migrates at night.

Maximum longevity: 16 years (wild)

Clutches are completed from late May tolate June. Clutch size is 4. Incubation, mostly by male (female at night), lasts about 19-22 days. Male attends young an average of about 3 weeks; female attendance averages about 1 week. Chicks fly strongly by 2 weeks (Miller 1985). Broods may amalgamate in habitat patches where families congregate after hatching (Can. J. Zool. 70:403).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 17
Specimens with Barcodes: 22
Species With Barcodes: 1

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 3 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

Download FASTA File

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Justification

History

• 2008
  Least Concern
• 2004
  Least Concern

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B,N5N : N5B: Secure - Breeding, N5N: Secure - Nonbreeding

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Least Concern