Western Sandpiper

Calidris mauri

Birders refer to the Western Sandpiper and the Least Sandpiper together as “peeps.” On some summer afternoons, thousands of peeps might be scattered around the mudflats, some wading in puddles, some foraging in the drier sand. In winter, when birds aren’t in breeding plumage, many shorebirds appear dull gray. The Western Sandpiper’s black legs and longish bill that droops at the end help distinguish it.

Fun Fact:
The several species of tiny sandpipers on the mudflats are collectively called "peeps."

What’s for Lunch:
Insects, mollusks and marine worms.

Where’s Home:
Mudflats in winter; flies north to breed in Alaskan tundra