Minnesota Seasons - Solitary Sandpiper

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy


Conservation Status
IUCN Red List	LC - Least Concern
NatureServe	N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding SNRB - Unranked Breeding
Minnesota	not listed

Photo by Bill Reynolds

Description

Size

7½″ to 9″ in length

22″ wingspan

Voice

Similar Species

Habitat

Wet meadows, sedge wetlands, wooded streams, beaver ponds, muddy ponds, sewage lagoons, and rain puddles.

Ecology

Migration

Mid-April to mid-May and July to mid-August

Nesting

Abandoned songbird nest in a coniferous tree, usually spruce, in a bog near open water.

Food

Mostly aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, especially mosquito larvae and young midges but also spiders, worms, and tadpoles.

Distribution

Occurrence

Uncommon to common migrant

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map


Taxonomy
Class	Aves (birds)
Order	Charadriiformes (shorebirds and allies)
Family	Scolopacidae (sandpipers and allies)
Genus	Tringa (shanks, tattlers, and allies)

Subordinate Taxa
Eastern Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria solitaria) Western Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria cinnamomea)

Synonyms


Visitor Photos

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Bill Reynolds

Sandpiper With a recent heavy rainfall of nearly 6 inches, a vernal pond was created where normally it only appears in spring. I was mowing nearby, when I noticed a bird quickly dart by and then land on the edge of the pond. I've not noticed shore bird prior times at this pool, so I rushed off to gather the camera in hopes it was still be there. It was and thus I took a few photos of what I believe is a Solitary Sandpiper.


Greg Watson

Solitary Sandpiper in flight


Mike Poeppe


Lynn Rubey
An adult Solitary Sandpiper in The big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Lac qui Parle County.

in a wooded area.		Near the West Pool area.


MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Camera

Slideshows

Solitary Sandpiper
Allen Chartier

Solitary Sandpiper
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Solitary Sandpiper
JMC Nature Photos

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria
Ron Jackson

About

Published on Nov 9, 2013

Pouso Alegre Lodge, Pantanal, Brazil, October 2013.

A juvenile bird I think.

Solitary Sandpiper (Scolopacidae: Tringa solitaria) Foraging
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on Oct 9, 2010

Photographed at Grand Forks, North Dakota (08 October 2010).

Camcorder


Visitor Sightings

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Bill Reynolds
7/30/2024

Location: Numedal TWP MN

With a recent heavy rainfall of nearly 6 inches, a vernal pond was created where normally it only appears in spring. I was mowing nearby, when I noticed a bird quickly dart by and then land on the edge of the pond. I've not noticed shore bird prior times at this pool, so I rushed off to gather the camera in hopes it was still be there. It was and thus I took a few photos of what I believe is a Solitary Sandpiper.