Sandpipers & Snipes in North Carolina
Our list for North Carolina has 27 sandpipers & snipes recorded regularly there: 4 residents, 6 summer visitors, 7 winter visitors and 10 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in North Carolina in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 27, most common first
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jan
WilletTringa semipalmataResidentUncommon33–41 cmRecorded all year
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentUncommon18–20 cmRecorded all year
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentUncommon21–24 cmRecorded all year
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaResidentUncommon29–40 cmRecorded all year
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Mar–Nov
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesWinter visitorUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Jul–May
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusSummer visitorUncommon23–32 cmRecorded all year
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Sep–Jun
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantUncommon18–19 cmRegularly May–Oct
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaWinter visitorUncommon40–50 cmRecorded all year
Western SandpiperCalidris mauriWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Jul–May
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly May–Oct
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorUncommon23–26 cmRecorded all year
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaPassage migrantRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisSummer visitorRare15–18 cmRegularly May–Nov
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantRare14–17 cmRegularly Aug–Oct
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusWinter visitorRare27–30 cmRegularly Jul–May
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorSummer visitorRare22–24 cmRegularly May–Aug
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorRare20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
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
- 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
- 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
- Bar-tailed Godwit 37–41 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