Purple Sandpiper
Habitat and behaviour
Habitat: Rocky shores (winter).
Diet: Marine invertebrates.
Best time to spot: Tame; loves seaweedy rocks.
When to look
Resident in the UK, so it can be found year-round. Numbers peak in May. See the May birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.
Recent UK sightings
No community sightings logged for this species yet. Log the first one.
Similar birds
- Red KnotUncommon · Estuaries (winter spectacles)
- Curlew SandpiperRare · Estuaries (autumn passage)
- Little StintRare · Estuaries (autumn passage)
- Broad-billed Sandpiper · Pools (very rare passage)
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper · Short grass (autumn passage)
- DunlinCommon · Estuaries; uplands (summer)
Kit that helps
Best spotting scopes for UK birding. Affiliate links, tested picks, no extra cost to you.
See Purple Sandpiper sightings on the map