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Buff-breasted Sandpiper Identification

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The Four Keys to ID

  • Size & Shape

    A small, delicately built shorebird with a fairly long neck, rounded head, and large eye. The bill is slender and short for a sandpiper bill (about the length of the head). At rest, the wingtips are about the length of the tail. Legs are fairly long.

    Relative Size

    Larger than a Semipalmated Sandpiper, smaller than a Red Knot; similar in size to a Pectoral Sandpiper.

    Relative Sizerobin sizedrobin-sized

    Measurements
    • Both Sexes
      • Length: 7.1-7.9 in (18-20 cm)
      • Weight: 1.6-2.8 oz (46-78 g)