Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus Linnaeus, 1758

≈24 cmLength59 cmWingspan71 gWeight

This rather plump sandpiper has dark upperparts and a striking bright white rump in flight.

Busiest months: August–September · Most records: Spain, India, United Kingdom

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Back and wings dark greenish-brown; back with white spots
Head and breast gray; remaining underparts white
Legs and feet and short bill dark green
Upperwing and underwing dark in flight; rump bright white

Male, female and young

Winter birds and juveniles have fewer white patches on the back than breeding adults.

Voice

A distinctive three-note whistle in flight.

Where and when it's recorded

Green Sandpiper has been recorded at 2,850 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 135 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Taipei – Tianliaoyang WetlandTaiwan (China)3,370 records
Lezíria Grande de Vila Franca de Xira – área geralPortugal3,161 records
International Birding and Research Center Eilat (IBRCE)Israel3,047 records

More places

Beddington FarmlandsUnited Kingdom2,861 records
Bharatpur – Keoladeo Ghana NPIndia2,272 records
Sureste PNat – Ruta del Soto GutiérrezSpain1,793 records
Rutland WaterUnited Kingdom1,699 records
Private estate near Green MubazzarahUnited Arab Emirates1,591 records
Hama'apil FishpondsIsrael1,558 records
Minsmere RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,527 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Spain India United Kingdom China Portugal Israel Germany Türkiye

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the Green Sandpiper?

The Green Sandpiper is about ≈24 cm long, with a wingspan of 59 cm and weighs around 71 g.

Where does the Green Sandpiper live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic: subarctic to temperate zone taiga wetlands of Palearctic: Scandinavia (except far northern) south to Germany, east to eastern Sakha Republic (northeastern Siberia), south through northern, eastern Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, western, northwestern Xinjiang (northwestern China), northern Mongolia and Inner Mongolia (northeastern China). It is most often recorded in Spain, India and United Kingdom.

When is the best time to see the Green Sandpiper?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in August and September (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Green Sandpiper endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Green Sandpiper as Least Concern.

What does the Green Sandpiper eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Green Sandpiper in?

It belongs to the family Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Length: ≈24 cm
Wingspan: 59 cm
Weight: 71 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Migratory
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 138 mm
Tail: 60 mm
Bill: 37 mm
Tarsus: 33 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Palearctic: subarctic to temperate zone taiga wetlands of Palearctic: Scandinavia (except far northern) south to Germany, east to eastern Sakha Republic (northeastern Siberia), south through northern, eastern Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, western, northwestern Xinjiang (northwestern China), northern Mongolia and Inner Mongolia (northeastern China)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2