Sanderling

Calidris alba

The Sanderling (Calidris alba) is a small shorebird known for its distinctive behavior of running along the water's edge to forage for small invertebrates. These birds have a mottled brown and white plumage during the breeding season, which transitions to a pale grayish-white plumage in the non-breeding season. Sanderlings breed in the high Arctic and migrate to coastal areas worldwide, often forming large flocks. They are highly adapted to a life on the shore, with their long legs and thin, slightly downturned bills. Sanderlings are known for their agility and speed, as they dart back and forth with the waves to feed on the exposed sand and mudflats.

Habitat: Coastal beaches and mudflats

Sanderling
© Hansueli Krapf  This file was uploaded with Commonist. · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

Rio de Janeiro Atlantic Forest Private Birdwatching with Falcon Birdwatching
Rio de Janeiro Atlantic Forest Private Birdwatching with Falcon Birdwatching
Brazil / Rio de Janeiro Private tour 1 day | 4h

Flexible private half-day or full-day birdwatching in Rio de Janeiro and Atlantic Forest habitats with Francisco Falcon, customized by seaso...

From 0.00 BRL
Saskatoon Shorebirds – Great Short Driving Tour in 2026
Saskatoon Shorebirds – Great Short Driving Tour in 2026
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3 days | 0h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 190.00 CAD
Porter Lake Birding Tour – 3 great hours with water birds
Porter Lake Birding Tour – 3 great hours with water birds
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 190.00 CAD
Grasslands National Park Birding Tour from Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw or Swift Current – Best Prairie Birds 2026
Grasslands National Park Birding Tour from Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw or Swift Current – Best Prairie Birds 2026
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3 days | 0h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 2490.00 CAD
Chaplin Shorebirds 2026 – Great Birding and Bird Photography Day Tour from Regina, Moose Jaw, Swift Current or Saskatoon
Chaplin Shorebirds 2026 – Great Birding and Bird Photography Day Tour from Regina, Moose Jaw, Swift Current or Saskatoon
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 3h

Tours Niche: Birdwatching Tours and Bird Photography Tours Tours Region: Saskatchewan, Canada Tours Duration: Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multi-...

From 890.00 CAD
Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary Tour with 2 great options from Saskatoon or Regina
Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary Tour with 2 great options from Saskatoon or Regina
Canada / Saskatoon Private tour 1 day | 0h

A 1-day Last Mountain Lake Bird Sanctuary outing from Saskatoon or Regina, focused on wetland, shorebird and prairie birding in one of Saska...

From 790.00 CAD
2-Day West Coast Birding Tour
2-Day West Coast Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 2 days | 0h

A 2-day West Coast birding itinerary focused on coastal, wetland, fynbos and open-country birding north of Cape Town....

From 0.00 ZAR
10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 10 days | 0h

A private or small-group Western Cape birding itinerary from Cape Town through the Cape Peninsula, West Coast, Tankwa Karoo, Agulhas Plain, ...

From 0.00 ZAR
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls
Namibia / Walvis Bay Group tour 18 days | 0h

This birdwatching journey through Namibia, the Okavango Delta, and Victoria Falls combines southern Africa’s most iconic landscapes with e...

From 10206.00 USD