Sandpipers & Snipes in Kentucky
Our list for Kentucky has 22 sandpipers & snipes recorded regularly there: 3 residents, 1 summer visitor and 18 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Kentucky in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 22, most common first
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Mar–Dec
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Oct
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Nov
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Sep
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Oct–May
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Sep
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Oct–May
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly May–Sep
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Aug–Sep
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusPassage migrantRare23–32 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Sep
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
WilletTringa semipalmataPassage migrantRare33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Aug
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorPassage migrantRare22–24 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantRare18–19 cmRegularly May–Aug
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentRare21–24 cmRegularly May–Aug
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaPassage migrantRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Aug
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaResidentRare40–50 cmRegularly Apr
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentRare40–46 cmRegularly May
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
- Dunlin 16–22 cm
- Sanderling 18–20 cm
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper 18–20 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
- 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