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White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollis · Sandpipers and Allies

White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis)
(c) Hannah Floyd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Hannah Floyd · CC BY-NC · via iNaturalist

White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) is in the Sandpipers and Allies family (Scolopacidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,481 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

Conservation status (iNaturalist): VU.

When to photograph White-rumped Sandpiper: observations by month (U.S.)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

About White-rumped Sandpiper

The white-rumped sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) is a small 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".From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

White-rumped Sandpiper by state

StateObservationsPeak monthMain season
Texas986MayMay–May
Massachusetts241AugustAug–Oct
Kansas218MayMay–May
Florida196MayMay–May
New York195AugustAug–Sep
New Jersey157MayMay–May
Maryland105MayMay–May
Louisiana101MayMay–May
Maine98OctoberAug–Oct
Ohio93MayMay–Jun
Illinois76MayMay–May
Oklahoma70MayMay–May
South Dakota60MayMay–May
Nebraska58MayMay–May
Missouri57MayMay–Jun
North Carolina54MayMay–May
Michigan50MayMay–Jun
Minnesota48MayMay–May
Virginia47MayMay–Jun
Delaware43MayMay–Jun
Tennessee43MayMay–May
Connecticut39JuneMay–Jun
North Dakota34MayMay–Jun
Pennsylvania34JuneMay–Jun
Rhode Island34JuneJun–Jun
Vermont32NovemberAug–Nov
Wisconsin30MayMay–May
Alabama28MayMay–May
Colorado26MayMay–Jun
Arkansas22MayMay–May
New Mexico22MayMay–May
Mississippi21MayApr–Jun
Georgia20MayMay–Jun
California19JuneJun–Jun
Alaska18JuneJun–Jun
Iowa18MayMay–May
Indiana13MayMay–May
Kentucky13MayMay–May
Arizona10MayMay–May
Oregon10JuneMay–Jun
South Carolina10MayMay–Jun
Montana8MayMay–May
New Hampshire8SeptemberSep–Sep
Wyoming7MayMay–Jun

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Sandpipers and Allies)

Photography tips

  • Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
  • Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
  • Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
  • Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph White-rumped Sandpiper?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from May to May.
Where is White-rumped Sandpiper most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Massachusetts, Kansas.