Species · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Solitary Sandpiper

ScolopacidaeShorebirdsTringa solitaria

Solitary Sandpiper has surged: up 696% on the route-weighted index since 1983.

+696%Since 1983
54Routes
43Years Surveyed

About the Solitary Sandpiper

The Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) 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 54 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 1 state, most concentrated in the BCR 4.
Family
Scolopacidae · Shorebirds

Notable Solitary Sandpiper Trends

No notable trend signals for Solitary Sandpiper. See the full index history below.

Solitary Sandpiper Population Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Solitary Sandpiper is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.01 (95% range 0.00–0.02). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±31.1%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

n/aChange by 2029
0.01Projected 2029 index
0.000.0295% range
±31.1%Backtest error
19752029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected index95% low95% high
20250.010.000.02
20260.010.000.02
20270.010.000.02
20280.010.000.02
20290.010.000.02

Where the Solitary Sandpiper Is Detected

BBS routes recording Solitary Sandpiper, sized by most recent count.

Solitary Sandpiper Population Trend by State

Solitary Sandpiper population trend by state.
Alaska+68%198354

Solitary Sandpiper Population Trend by Region

Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.

Solitary Sandpiper population trend by Bird Conservation Region.
BCR 4+93%198347
Northern Pacific Rainforest-2%20085

Solitary Sandpiper Conservation Status

Our route-weighted index shows it up about 696% since 1983. 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.