Photo: USFWS · U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service · Public Domain
← Kodiak species
Shorebirds
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
The world's smallest shorebird, easily identified by its yellowish legs (unique among small sandpipers) and hunched posture. Passes through Kodiak in large numbers during both spring and fall migration.
Where to look
Mudflats at the Buskin River estuary and Womens Bay; mixes with Western Sandpipers in large flocks.
Habitat
Wet tundra for breeding; mudflats, marshes, and salt flats during migration.
Diet
Invertebrates, insects, and aquatic organisms.
Natural history note
Despite being the smallest shorebird in the world, Least Sandpipers migrate from the Arctic all the way to South America—a round trip of over 10,000 miles.