Sandpipers & Snipes in Nova Scotia
Our list for Nova Scotia has 26 sandpipers & snipes recorded regularly there: 1 summer visitor, 4 winter visitors, 20 passage migrants and 1 scarce visitor
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Nova Scotia in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 26, most common first
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaPassage migrantCommon15–18 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–Sep
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantCommon29–40 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantCommon23–27 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorCommon33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusPassage migrantCommon23–32 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Feb
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantUncommon21–24 cmRegularly May–Oct
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Jul–Nov
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Sep–May
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Jul–Nov
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Nov–May
Red KnotCalidris canutusWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–Feb
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantUncommon18–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Grey PhalaropePhalaropus fulicariusPassage migrantUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Jul–Nov
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaPassage migrantUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Jul–Nov
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisPassage migrantUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Sep
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Aug–Oct
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantRare18–23 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly Sep–Dec
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Sep
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
- Dunlin 16–22 cm
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper 18–20 cm
- Stilt Sandpiper 18–23 cm
- Solitary Sandpiper 19–23 cm
- Pectoral Sandpiper 19–23 cm
- Purple Sandpiper 20–22 cm
- Grey Phalarope 20–22 cm
- Ruddy Turnstone 21–24 cm
- Wilson's Phalarope 22–24 cm
- Red Knot 23–26 cm
- Lesser Yellowlegs 23–27 cm
- Ruff 20–32 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
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