Sandpipers & Snipes in Alabama
Our list for Alabama has 23 sandpipers & snipes recorded regularly there: 3 residents, 4 summer visitors, 6 winter visitors and 10 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Alabama in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 23, most common first
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May
WilletTringa semipalmataResidentUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaWinter visitorUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Jul–May
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–May
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesWinter visitorUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Jul–May
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusSummer visitorUncommon23–32 cmRecorded all year
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Jul–May
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantUncommon15–18 cmRegularly Apr–Aug
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusWinter visitorRare27–30 cmRegularly Aug–May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorRare40–46 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Apr–Jan
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorPassage migrantRare22–24 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusResidentRare23–26 cmRecorded all year
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaPassage migrantRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantRare18–19 cmRegularly Sep
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Least Sandpiper 13–15 cm
- Western Sandpiper 14–17 cm
- Baird's 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
- Pectoral Sandpiper 19–23 cm
- Solitary 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
- 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