The “Sand Ploughman” That Travels the World
In the winter and shoulder seasons around the world, observant beachgoers might notice a mostly white, speedy little bird foraging in the wet sand or sleeping in groups nestled higher on the shore. The less observant beachgoer might only be startled when a small flock of birds with sandy-gray backs that were camouflaged in the dunes leaps into flight in front of them.
These little visitors are non-assuming, but just one of these little birds, called sanderlings (Calidris alba), has likely seen far more of the world than I have. Their comes from an Old English word that means “sand ploughman.”
Appearance
The sanderling is a small wading bird in the sandpiper family. They are generally slightly plump, with moderate-length black legs. In winter, when you would likely see a sanderling, they are nearly all white but have light gray backs that gets darker toward the tail. However, when breeding in the summer, their back, head, neck, and breast turn a speckled brick red. But you probably haven’t seen one look like this.
Diet
Sanderlings feed on intertidal invertebrates, mostly sand-dwelling creatures on wavy shores like isopods and mole crabs. At high tide, these creatures come to the surface to filter feed, and the sanderlings, which have short bills for wading bills, eat their fill. They also feed on horseshoe crab eggs in the high intertidal. Since most invertebrates leave little or no evidence on the sand’s surface after the wave retreat, sanderlings plunge their bills into the soft sand and eat whatever they can find.
Habitat and Range
Sanderlings are mostly found on sandy beaches and, to a limited extent, on rocky shores. They are sometimes spotted inland at freshwater sources, but they prefer the sea.
Their range is where these little birds really distinguish themselves from many of the other gray-ish wading birds we encounter on the shore. Sanderlings are circumpolar Arctic breeders, nesting in the extreme north of the Americas, Europe, and Asia. This is during the summer when the birds turn that beautiful brick-red color. Unless you’ve visited north of five degrees in the summer, then you probably haven’t seen a breeding plumage sanderling. In the winter, these birds travel anywhere from two to six thousand miles and inhabit almost all of the world’s coastlines except Antarctica. I’m talking all the coasts of North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. It’s quite remarkable that the bird eating mole crabs at my feet has seen far more of the world than I have.
Behavior
Sanderlings are super fun to watch along the coast. They are incredibly fast for small birds and prefer to run instead of fly while avoiding the waves. They rarely let the waves touch their feet.
Small groups of sanderlings will feed and rest together and will get quite close to you if you are patient. They move together as a group down the beach. If you see a group and want a close look, don’t approach, but instead move down the beach in the direction they are heading. Sit down and wait. Instead of changing their direction, the group will likely come toward you. Once they get close enough, they’ll fly around you and continue their way down the beach on the other side.
Despite their small size and rather typical non-breeding plumage, sanderlings are beautiful little creatures. Don’t ignore them because they are abundant or plain. Their navigating and flying skills are unmatched.
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