Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

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

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Vatnajokull National Park

1 Verified sightings at Vatnajokull National Park From 2019 to 2026

1,668 Verified sightings across all 71 parks From 2019 to 2026

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

About the Pectoral Sandpiper

The pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), often abbreviated pec, is a small, migratory wader that breeds in arctic regions of North America and Asia, wintering in South America and Oceania. It eats small invertebrates. Its nest, a hole scraped in the ground and with a thick lining, is deep enough to protect its four eggs from the cool breezes of its breeding grounds. The pectoral sandpiper is 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in) long, with a wingspan of 38–46 cm (15–18 in).

In the past widely seen as most closely related to sharp-tailed sandpiper, more recent genetic evidence has shown more complex relationships between the species of Calidris, with its closest genetic relatives probably the semipalmated sandpiper and western sandpiper species pair.

Cox's sandpiper, originally described as a new species Calidris paramelanotos, has proven to be a stereotyped hybrid between this species and the curlew sandpiper. This does not prove a particularly close relationship between these two species, as far more distantly related waders have produced hybrids.

The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name kalidris or skalidris, is a term used by Aristotle for some... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Vatnajokull National Park

Calidris alpina

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Calidris maritima

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Calidris alba

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Calidris canutus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Calidris pugnax

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Gallinago gallinago

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Tringa totanus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Numenius phaeopus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Limosa limosa

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Phalaropus lobatus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Arenaria interpres

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lymnocryptes minimus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
2	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
3	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
4	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
5	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
6	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
7	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
8	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
9	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
10	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
11	Lauca National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	<5%
12	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
13	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
14	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
15	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
16	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
17	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
18	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
19	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
20	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
21	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
22	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
23	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
24	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
25	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
26	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
27	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
28	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
29	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
30	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
31	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
32	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	Insufficient data
33	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
34	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
35	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
36	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
37	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	Insufficient data
38	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
39	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
40	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
41	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
42	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
43	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
44	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
45	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
46	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
47	Huascarán National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	Insufficient data
48	Puracé National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
49	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	Insufficient data
50	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
51	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
52	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
53	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
54	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
55	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
56	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
57	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
58	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
59	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
60	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
61	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
62	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
63	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	Insufficient data
64	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	Insufficient data
65	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
66	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
67	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
68	Vatnajokull National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	Insufficient data
69	Great Otway National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
70	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
71	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data

← Back to Vatnajokull National Park

Pectoral Sandpiper

About the Pectoral Sandpiper

Recent sightings of Pectoral Sandpiper in Vatnajokull National Park

Closest Relatives at Vatnajokull National Park

Dunlin

Purple Sandpiper

Sanderling

Red Knot

Ruff

Common Snipe

Common Redshank

Whimbrel

Black-tailed Godwit

Red-necked Phalarope

Ruddy Turnstone

Jack Snipe

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found