General

Broad-billed Sandpiper: Small sandpiper with a long bill that curves down at the tip. Pale-edged dark brown feathers on upperparts give a scaled appearance; back shows two pale streaks in flight; underparts are white with dark spots on breast and neck. Head has dark cap and forked white eyebrows. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is paler and shows only faint spotting on upper breast and neck.

Range and Habitat

Broad-billed Sandpiper: Habitats used during nonbreeding season range from muddy pond margins and wet meadows to rocky beaches and tidal mudflats. Breeds in northern Europe and Asia and winters coastlines of South Asia. Juveniles very rarely show up in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.

Breeding and Nesting

Broad-billed Sandpiper: Breeding behavior poorly known. Breeds in wettest portions of bogs in northern Europe. Lays four gray buff to brown eggs with dark brown markings. Both parents incubate for 21 days, and both parents initially care for chicks, though only the male later.

Foraging and Feeding

Broad-billed Sandpiper: Feeds on mudflats in typical sandpiper fashion by probing vertically into soft mud with its bill, but has noticeably slower and more methodical movements than other small sandpipers. Eats a wide variety of small aquatic invertebrates.

Vocalization

Broad-billed Sandpiper: Rhythmic buzzing trill "bree, bree, bree."

Similar Species

Broad-billed Sandpiper: Most readily confused with the taller, longer-legged Dunlin, which also lacks the split white eyeline of the Broad-billed Sandpiper.