Sandpipers & Snipes in Alberta
Our list for Alberta has 24 sandpipers & snipes recorded regularly there: 12 summer visitors and 12 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Alberta in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 24, most common first
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaSummer visitorCommon29–40 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesSummer visitorCommon23–27 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaSummer visitorCommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorUncommon33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorSummer visitorUncommon22–24 cmRegularly May–Sep
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaSummer visitorUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly May–Oct
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly May–Oct
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly May–Oct
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly May–Oct
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusSummer visitorUncommon18–19 cmRegularly May–Sep
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusSummer visitorUncommon23–32 cmRegularly May–Sep
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaSummer visitorUncommon28–32 cmRegularly May–Aug
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Oct
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaPassage migrantRare36–42 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Sep
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorRare23–26 cmRegularly May–Jul
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly May–Aug
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantRare40–46 cmRegularly May
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantRare16–22 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantRare21–24 cmRegularly May–Aug
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Least Sandpiper 13–15 cm
- Baird's Sandpiper 14–17 cm
- Western Sandpiper 14–17 cm
- Semipalmated Sandpiper 15–18 cm
- White-rumped Sandpiper 15–18 cm
- Red-necked Phalarope 18–19 cm
- Sanderling 18–20 cm
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper 18–20 cm
- Dunlin 16–22 cm
- Stilt Sandpiper 18–23 cm
- Solitary Sandpiper 19–23 cm
- Pectoral Sandpiper 19–23 cm
- Ruddy Turnstone 21–24 cm
- Wilson's Phalarope 22–24 cm
- Red Knot 23–26 cm
- Lesser Yellowlegs 23–27 cm
- Short-billed Dowitcher 23–32 cm
- Long-billed Dowitcher 27–30 cm
- Upland Sandpiper 28–32 cm
- Greater Yellowlegs 29–40 cm
- Willet 33–41 cm
- Hudsonian Godwit 36–42 cm
- Whimbrel 40–46 cm
- Marbled Godwit 40–50 cm
Body length, bill to tail. Rare birds in grey.
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made