Least Sandpiper Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesLeast Sandpiper
Breeding adult
Small sandpiper with yellow legs and a thin slightly curved bill. Breeding birds have rusty speckling on the back.
© Simon Boivin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 21, 2020Nonbreeding adult
Small sandpiper with yellow legs. Nonbreeding birds are brownish with a smudgy brown breast.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, September 28, 2016Breeding adults
Very small sandpiper with yellowish legs and thin, slightly drooped bill. Favors muddy habitats.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 01, 2013Juvenile
Juveniles have brighter rusty-colored speckling on the back than breeding adults.
© Alix d'Entremont / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, August 27, 2014Breeding adult
Breeding birds have a heavily streaked throat and breast. Note yellow legs and small size.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 18, 2017Juvenile
Juveniles have yellow legs, like adults—but note that mud can obscure leg color. Juveniles have brighter rusty-colored speckling on the back than breeding adults.
© Alix d'Entremont / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, August 23, 2014Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding birds have a smudgy throat unlike similar sandpipers. Tends to have a more crouched posture when foraging.
© Mike Cameron / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 01, 2017Juvenile
In flight, note short, dark wings and small overall size.
© Brooke Miller / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 27, 2016Habitat
Forages on mudflats and the edges of water bodies. Tends to favor muddier shores and estuaries than other sandpipers.
© Alex Lamoreaux / Macaulay LibraryOhio, July 29, 2016Similar SpeciesSemipalmated Sandpiper
Breeding adult
Semipalmated Sandpipers are slightly larger with stouter bills and black legs rather than the Least Sandpiper’s yellowish legs.
© Davey Walters / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, June 03, 2015Similar SpeciesSemipalmated Sandpiper
Nonbreeding adult
Semipalmated Sandpipers are slightly larger with stouter bills than Least Sandpipers and black (not yellow) legs. They tend to have grayer backs than Least Sandpipers, which are often browner.
© Jonathan Eckerson / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, July 16, 2017Similar SpeciesWestern Sandpiper
Breeding adult
Western Sandpipers are slightly larger with stouter bills and black legs instead of the Least Sandpiper’s yellowish legs.
© Thomas Barbin / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, May 09, 2017Similar SpeciesWestern Sandpiper
Nonbreeding adult
Western Sandpipers are slightly larger with stouter bills and black legs instead of the Least Sandpiper’s yellowish legs. Nonbreeding Western Sandpipers tend to have a whiter breast than the brownish breast on Least Sandpipers.
© Patrick Maurice / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, November 06, 2016Similar SpeciesPectoral Sandpiper
Breeding
Pectoral Sandpipers have yellow legs like Least Sandpipers, but they are much larger with a dark shield of streaking on the chest.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 24, 2013Similar SpeciesPiping Plover
Breeding adult
Piping Plovers are plumper and paler, with shorter bills than Least Sandpipers. Piping Plovers tend to occur higher up on the beach than Least Sandpipers.
© Gates Dupont / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, June 04, 2015Similar SpeciesSnowy Plover
Breeding adult
Snowy Plovers are plumper and paler, with shorter bills than Least Sandpipers. Snowy Plovers tend to occur higher up on the beach than Least Sandpipers.
© Sam Heinrich / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, February 17, 2016Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Sandpipers and Allies(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Scolopacidae)
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