Fauna Flora Photography

Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria

Solitary Sandpiper is a small shorebird which prefers freshwater bodies such as creeks and ponds or in spring temporary ponds created by melting ice and snow.

Specs

Length25cm
Weight90-120g
Wingspan50cm

Common Names

GermanEinsamer Wasserläufer
EnglishSolitary Sandpiper
FrenchChevalier solitaire
SpanishAndarríos solitario

Taxonomy

OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyScolopacidae
SpeciesTringa solitaria

How to Identify

This species is very similar to Spotted Sandpiper. The Solitary Sandpiper has a darker beak and a more prominent eyering.

Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) - Parc Bernard-Landry - 2019-05-11
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) - Moulin Légaré - 2017-09-02

Where and When to Spot

I rarely see this species around Montreal. A good time to look for it is during the period of spring when snow is melting forming ponds and the lack of vegetation provides a better sight.

Last updated on 2024-03-14. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.