Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Wood Sandpiper is a small shorebird of freshwater wetlands that breeds across northern Eurasia and is a scarce visitor to the United States. Its spotted brown back, pale stripe above the eye, and mostly white tail with thin dark bars help distinguish it from similar shorebirds.

Appearance

Appearance: About 8–9 in (20–23 cm) long, it has a spotted brown back, pale eyebrow, and yellowish legs. In flight, its mostly white tail shows thin dark bars.
Voice: Its call is a sharp series of whistles.

Look-alikes

Solitary SandpiperTringa solitaria

Wood Sandpiper is paler, with a more obvious pale eyebrow. In flight its mostly white tail has thin dark bars, while Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) has a dark center to the tail.

Why they get mixed upBoth are slim, spotted shorebirds that use freshwater edges.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: freshwater ponds
stream edges
shallow marshes
Range: Small numbers pass through western Alaska; birds elsewhere in the United States are rare strays. Most of the species breeds across northern Eurasia.
Seasonal presence: A scarce migrant in western Alaska.

Behavior

Diet: It picks small from shallow water and soft mud.

Life cycle

Nest: In its Eurasian breeding range, it usually nests on the ground but may use an old nest in a tree.
Clutch size: Usually four eggs.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

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