Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyScolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
GenusCalidris (Calidris Sandpipers)
SpeciesCalidris minutilla (Least Sandpiper)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Tikal National Park

1 Verified sightings at Tikal National Park From 2019 to 2026

16,193 Verified sightings across all 94 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Least Sandpiper

The least sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) is the smallest shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific minutilla is Medieval Latin for "very small".

Within the genus Calidris, the least sandpiper is most closely related to the white-rumped sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis). This species has yellow-green legs and a short, thin, dark bill. Breeding adults are brown with dark brown streaks on top and white underneath. They have a light line above the eye and a dark crown. In winter, Least sandpipers are grey above. The juveniles are brightly patterned above with rufous colour and white mantle stripes.

This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny shorebirds; these are known collectively as "peeps" or "stints". In particular, least sandpiper is very similar to its Asian counterpart, long-toed stint. It differs from that species in its more compact, shorter-necked appearance, shorter toes, somewhat duller colour, and stronger wingbar.

Measurements: Length: 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in) Wingspan: 27–28 cm (11–11 in) Weight: 19–30 g (0.67–1.06 oz) Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park

Actitis macularius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tringa solitaria

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Jacana spinosa

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Endemic

Himantopus mexicanus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Leucophaeus atricilla

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Thalasseus maximus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
2	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
3	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	~30%
4	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
5	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
6	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~20%
7	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
8	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
9	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
10	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
11	Gates of the Arctic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
12	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
13	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
14	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~10%
15	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
16	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
17	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
18	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
19	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
20	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
21	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
22	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
23	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
24	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~10%
25	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
26	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
27	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
28	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
29	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
30	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
31	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
32	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
33	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
34	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
35	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
36	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
37	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
38	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
39	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
40	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
41	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
42	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
43	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
44	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
45	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
46	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
47	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
48	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	<5%
49	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
50	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
51	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
52	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
53	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%
54	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
55	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
56	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
57	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
58	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
59	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
60	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
61	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
62	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
63	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
64	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
65	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
66	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
67	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
68	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
69	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
70	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
71	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
72	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
73	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
74	Nahanni National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
75	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
76	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
77	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
78	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
79	Kenai Fjords National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
80	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
81	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
82	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
83	Badlands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
84	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
85	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
86	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
87	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
88	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
89	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
90	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	Insufficient data
91	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
92	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
93	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
94	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data

← Back to Tikal National Park

Least Sandpiper

About the Least Sandpiper

Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park

Spotted Sandpiper

Solitary Sandpiper

Northern Jacana

Black-necked Stilt

Laughing Gull

Royal Tern

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found