Common sandpiper: known for its distinctive flight with stiff, bowed wings.

As part of our winter appeal, we're taking an in-depth look into wading birds. 

In the fifth of our wading birds series, let’s look at the common sandpiper. 

A common sandpiper

They rely on wetlands to survive the colder months, but their habitats are disappearing, and they are facing growing challenges finding enough food and shelter to see them through the colder months. Wetlands are often drained for farming or development, leaving many species without the resources they need to survive the Winter. 

One of the key threats to wading birds is predation, particularly at the egg and chick stage due to an increase of foxes and crows in the countryside. Waders are also long-distant travellers and need places to land and then carry on their journeys.  

This Winter, we’re asking for your help to build a simple, yet potentially lifesaving feature on our farmland at Bere Marsh in Dorset and Lark Rise in Cambridgeshire - a series of shallow, muddy channels to attract wading birds where they can feed and thrive.   

Dr Vince Lea, our CRT Conservation Officer, said both Lark Rise and Bere Marsh wetlands could attract common sandpipers on their migration routes.  

“A small number stay in the UK in the winter and I would be delighted if some stay at Bere Marsh once the work is complete. The UK population is estimated at only 73, they are more of a passage bird.” 

Key facts 

• Appearance: The common sandpiper is a small wader. They are green-brown above, with a bright white belly. They display a brown rump and strong white wing bars when they fly. They have a short, straight, grey bill and green legs. 

• Conservation Status: Classified in the UK as amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021). 

• Size: Around 18-20 cm in length, with a wingspan of about 40cm, and weigh about 50 grams 

• Habitat: The common sandpiper nests around the edge of lakes and large rivers in the uplands but can be seen on spring and autumn migration at inland wetlands throughout the country. The small wintering population can be found along the south coast. 

• Lifespan: Eight years. 

How You Can Help 

We need your help to provide the resources and habitats that common sandpiper and many other wading birds so desperately need.  

By contributing to our winter appeal, you can make a real difference in the fight to save these remarkable birds. 

With your support, we can restore wetlands, build vital feeding channels, and create safer, more resilient habitats for sandpipers across our farms. Together, we can help protect these birds for future generations.