Rock Sandpiper
Rock Sandpiper has declined: down 48% on the route-weighted index since 1986.
About the Rock Sandpiper
The Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) is a North American member of the Sandpipers & Allies (Scolopacidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the shorebirds.
- Size
- 5–26 in long (13–66 cm) — a probing shorebird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Shorelines, mudflats, beaches, flooded fields and wet meadows.
- Diet
- Invertebrates probed or picked from mud, sand and shallow water.
- Range
- Recorded on 3 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 1 state.
- Family
- Scolopacidae · Shorebirds
Notable Rock Sandpiper Trends
No notable trend signals for Rock Sandpiper. See the full index history below.
Rock Sandpiper Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Rock Sandpiper is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.02 (95% range 0.00–0.05). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±171.7%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| 2026 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| 2027 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| 2028 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| 2029 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
Where the Rock Sandpiper Is Detected
BBS routes recording Rock Sandpiper, sized by most recent count.
Rock Sandpiper Population Trend by State
| Alaska | -77% | 1986 | 3 |
Rock Sandpiper Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 48% since 1986. Many shorebirds have declined steeply, reflecting pressure on the coastal and wetland stopovers they depend on.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.