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Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
At a Glance
A very common sandpiper of Europe and Asia, found most often around freshwater ponds, streams, and estuaries. It is a regular migrant in small numbers in western Alaska; sometimes it occurs in flocks on the outer Aleutian Islands, and it has even nested there. Strays have reached New York state twice.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Sandpiper-like Birds, Sandpipers
Conservation
Low Concern
Habitat
Coasts and Shorelines, Tundra and Boreal Habitats
Region
Alaska and The North
Behavior
Erratic, Rapid Wingbeats, Running
Range & Identification
Description
8-9" (20.5-23 cm). Suggests Solitary Sandpiper but not as dark, and has very obvious pale eyebrow. In flight, tail mostly white with narrow black bars (Solitary has center of tail dark).
Size
About the size of a Crow, About the size of a Robin
Color
Black, Brown, Gray, White, Yellow
Wing Shape
Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Rounded, Short, Square-tipped, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
A loud, sharp whistled fee-fee-fee-fee-fee, or chip-ip-ip-ip.
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