Least SandpiperLeast Sandpiper -- South Dakota Birds
| Length: 6 inches | Wingspan: 11 inches | Seasonality: Migrant |
| ID Keys: Tiny size, pale yellow legs, slightly decurved bill | ||
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
The smallest of the "peeps", the group of tiny sandpipers that migrate through the state. The most common of the tiny sandpipers to migrate through the state, a primary identification key are the pale yellow legs.
Habitat: Mudflats, shallow marshes, flooded fields, shorelines.
Diet: Varied, including insects, small crustaceans, snails, and seeds.
Breeding: Non-Breeder in South Dakota
Song: High thin keee-eeet.
Migrations: Many winter in the Southern United States, while some migrate to northern South America.
Similar Species: Semipalmated Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper
Conservation Status: Populations are generally stable
Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Least Sandpiper
2) Cornell University's "All About Birds - Least Sandpiper"
3) E-nature.com:
Least Sandpiper
Photo Information: May 14th, 2004 -- Madison Waterfowl Production Area -- Terry Sohl
Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Least Sandpiper photos.
| Additional Least Sandpiper Photos | ||
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| Least Sandpiper 1 | Least Sandpiper 2 | Least Sandpiper 3 |
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| Least Sandpiper 4 |
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Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl
This page was last edited on 02/03/08