Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima

summer

summer winter European distribution summer

Identification

The Purple Sandpiper isn't exactly Purple, but for most of the year it does at least look distinctly bluish-grey. It is bigger and stockier than a Dunlin with a heavier, but otherwise similar, slightly down-curved bill. In winter their dark grey plumage can make them hard to detect against rocks and seaweed but they become paler on the lower belly and the yellow-orange feet and the yellow base to the bill provide welcome highlights. In summer plumage they confusingly gain lots of rufous-brown feathers and look like big, heavily streaked, yellow-legged Dunlins, a description which also applies to the juveniles. In flight they resemble a big, dark Dunlin.

Habitat

Breeds on Arctic tundra or mountain tops. Winters on rocky shores.

Migration

Some birds winter much further north than any other waders, remaining around Icelandic and northern Scandinavian coasts. Others winter as far south as the north coast of Spain.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Purple Sandpiper is classed as Local: generally fairly regular or common species that a 'county lister' or a birding beginner might be interested in going to see. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Hadston Carrs, Northumbs 31/08/2010	Hadston Carrs, Northumbs 31/08/2010	Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk 15/08/2010	Cley, Norfolk 20/08/2010	Cley, Norfolk 20/08/2010
Cley, Norfolk 20/08/2010	Filey, N Yorks 25/07/2010	Filey, N Yorks 25/07/2010	Longyearben, Spitzbergen, Svalbard 09/07/2010	Flatey, Vesturland (West), Iceland 02/07/2010

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Purple Sandpiper breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Faroe Islands
Finland
Greenland
Iceland
Norway
Russia
Svalbard
Sweden

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