This large sandpiper is related to the 'peep' sandpipers such as Western Sandpipers but, in apperance and habits, looks more like a dowitcher. Stilt Sandpipers breed in the high Arctic tundra with males incubating eggs during the day and female during the night. Migration mainly takes place to the east of the Rocky Mountains through the Prairies. Their winters are spent in South America. Currently, there is only one recent record for this species in our area since the last records from the late 1800's!

Similar species:
Stilt Sandpipers are somewhat similar to dowitchers and yellowlegs and they are often found in flocks of dowitchers. Their smaller size and a shorter, thicker bill seperate them from these species. Their long legs and short bill cause them to tilt down further to reach the ground than dowitchers.

Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, (1988)

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