Purple Sandpiper

The Purple Sandpiper, Calidris maritima, is a small, robust shorebird with a distinctive appearance. In summer, adults boast short yellow legs and a medium thin dark bill with a yellow base. Their upperparts are dark with a subtle purplish sheen, while the underparts are predominantly white. A smattering of grey adorns their breast, and their rump is a stark black. They measure between 20–22 cm in length, span 42–46 cm across the wings, and weigh between 50–105 g.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Purple Sandpiper, look for the yellow base of the bill and the yellow legs, which are shorter than those of many other sandpipers. The winter plumage is less vibrant than the summer's, but the bird maintains its characteristic dark upperparts and white underbelly. The purplish gloss on the back is more noticeable in good light.

Habitat

During the breeding season, the Purple Sandpiper can be found in the tundra of the high Arctic, often at low altitudes and sometimes at a considerable distance from the coast. In the subarctic regions, they prefer barren mountainsides near the frozen ground.

Distribution

This species breeds across the Arctic and subarctic regions of Eurasia and North America. In winter, they migrate south to rocky shores along the North Atlantic, reaching as far south as South Carolina in North America and northern Iberia in Europe.

Behaviour

The Purple Sandpiper is a late migrant, moving to ice-free Atlantic coasts for the winter. They are sociable birds, often forming small flocks with species like the Ruddy Turnstone. Known for their tameness, they can be quite approachable.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the Purple Sandpiper include a soft "chut" or "weet" call, often heard during flight or when the birds are disturbed.

Breeding

Breeding takes place on the northern tundra, where males create several scrapes on the ground for the female to choose from. The female lays 3 or 4 olive eggs with brown blotches. The male primarily incubates the eggs, which hatch in about 21–22 days. The downy chicks are precocial and can feed themselves, though the male tends to their needs.

Diet and Feeding

Purple Sandpipers forage on rocky coasts, using sight to pick up food. Their diet consists mainly of arthropods and molluscs, including littorinids, mussels, and seaweed flies.

Conservation status

The Purple Sandpiper is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a very large population that appears to be decreasing. It is protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).