Photo: Donna A. Dewhurst/USFWS · Alaska · U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service · Public Domain
← Kodiak species
Shorebirds
Rock Sandpiper
Calidris ptilocnemis
A robust sandpiper that is the western Alaska equivalent of the Purple Sandpiper. In winter plumage it appears dull gray, blending into rocky shores. An uncommon winter resident on Kodiak.
Where to look
Rocky shorelines and jetties around Kodiak harbor and Fort Abercrombie; found in small groups on wave-washed rocks.
Habitat
Rocky tundra for breeding; rocky coastlines and jetties in winter.
Diet
Marine invertebrates, especially barnacles, limpets, and amphipods.
Natural history note
Rock Sandpipers are among the hardiest shorebirds, wintering further north than almost any other sandpiper species.