Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima) | Species | ||||||||||||
 (1/500th sec at f11. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings) DescriptionL: 19 - 22cm WS: 37 - 42cm The Purple Sandpiper is a medium-sized wading birds that is larger, stockier and darker than a Dunlin. It is mainly dark grey above and whitish below. It has a downcurved beak and short bright orange legs. In flight, it shows a thin white wing-stripe. They breed in the north-eastern parts of Arctic Canada, in Greenland, Iceland, the Faroes, Svalbard, in Northern Scandinavia and the western parts of the Russian Arctic. In winter they can be found on rocky coastlines in western Europe. They nest on the ground either elevated on rocks or in lower damp locations. The males makes several scrapes; the female chooses one and lays 3 or 4 eggs. The male takes the major responsibility for incubation and tending the chicks. The young feed themselves. It is on the UK Amber list. It is listed on Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act. Sightings
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