Sandpipers & Snipes in Delaware
Our list for Delaware has 27 sandpipers & snipes recorded regularly there: 3 residents, 9 summer visitors, 2 winter visitors, 12 passage migrants and 1 scarce visitor
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Delaware in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 27, most common first
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Oct
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaResidentCommon29–40 cmRecorded all year
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesSummer visitorCommon23–27 cmRecorded all year
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusSummer visitorCommon23–32 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorCommon33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
DunlinCalidris alpinaResidentCommon16–22 cmRecorded all year
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRecorded all year
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Jul–Jan
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly May–Sep
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Jul–Mar
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaPassage migrantUncommon40–50 cmRegularly Aug–Dec
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Nov
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Nov
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaPassage migrantUncommon36–42 cmRegularly Aug–Nov
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorSummer visitorUncommon22–24 cmRegularly May–Sep
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaScarceUncommon18–23 cm
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorRare40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantRare18–19 cmRegularly May–Jul
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
- Dunlin 16–22 cm
- Sanderling 18–20 cm
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper 18–20 cm
- Stilt Sandpiper 18–23 cm
- Curlew Sandpiper 18–23 cm
- Purple Sandpiper 20–22 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
- 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
- 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