Sandpipers & Snipes in Massachusetts
Our list for Massachusetts has 28 sandpipers & snipes recorded regularly there: 9 summer visitors, 3 winter visitors, 15 passage migrants and 1 scarce visitor
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Massachusetts in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 28, most common first
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorCommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Oct
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantCommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Sep
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaSummer visitorCommon29–40 cmRegularly Mar–Dec
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorCommon33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantCommon23–27 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusSummer visitorUncommon23–32 cmRegularly May–Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly May–Feb
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Aug–May
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Nov
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusPassage migrantUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorUncommon20–22 cmRegularly Nov–May
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly May–Oct
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantUncommon18–19 cmRegularly May–Sep
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantUncommon27–30 cmRegularly Jul–Nov
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaPassage migrantRare36–42 cmRegularly Jul–Nov
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Aug–Sep
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Jul–Oct
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Sep
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaPassage migrantRare40–50 cmRegularly Jul–Jan
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
- Curlew Sandpiper 18–23 cm
- Solitary Sandpiper 19–23 cm
- Purple Sandpiper 20–22 cm
- Pectoral Sandpiper 19–23 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
- 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