Sandpipers & Snipes in Wisconsin
Our list for Wisconsin has 25 sandpipers & snipes recorded regularly there: 8 summer visitors and 17 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Wisconsin in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 25, most common first
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesPassage migrantUncommon23–27 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaPassage migrantUncommon29–40 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaSummer visitorUncommon15–18 cmRegularly May–Sep
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantUncommon19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
DunlinCalidris alpinaPassage migrantUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdiiPassage migrantUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Jul–Sep
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly May–Sep
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Nov
Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusPassage migrantUncommon23–32 cmRegularly May–Sep
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorSummer visitorRare22–24 cmRegularly Apr–Aug
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusPassage migrantRare27–30 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly May–Nov
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollisPassage migrantRare18–20 cmRegularly Aug–Oct
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Dec
Upland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaSummer visitorRare28–32 cmRegularly Apr–Aug
White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly May–Nov
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPassage migrantRare18–19 cmRegularly May–Sep
WilletTringa semipalmataSummer visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly Apr–Aug
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantRare20–32 cmRegularly Apr–May
Red KnotCalidris canutusPassage migrantRare23–26 cmRegularly May–Oct
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaPassage migrantRare36–42 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Least Sandpiper 13–15 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
- Solitary Sandpiper 19–23 cm
- Pectoral Sandpiper 19–23 cm
- Purple Sandpiper 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