Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has a very large geographic range size (extent of occurrence >9 million km2 in both the breeding and non-breeding seasons), and so does not approach Criterion B thresholds. It also has a large estimated population size (190,000 mature individuals; Partners in Flight 2023), and so does not approach Criteria C or D thresholds. Considering its population trend over three generations (c. 10 years), the data presented in Smith et al. (2023) indicate a rapid decline of c. 50%, albeit with interannual fluctuations. Conversely, the Breeding Bird Survey (Ziolkowski et al. 2022) recorded a c. 5% increase over the same period, as part of a slow long-term increase. This is mirrored by data from the Christmas Bird Count (Meehan et al. 2022), which suggest an increase of c. 17% in the non-breeding population in the southern USA (following a slow long-term increase there, possibly due to short-stopping under climate change). Partners in Flight (2023) infers that the most likely overall trend is a c. 11% increase. Overall the trend is considered unknown, and the species therefore does not approach Criterion A thresholds. The species therefore continues to warrant listing as Least Concern.
Population justification
The species has a large estimated population size of 190,000 mature individuals (Partners in Flight 2023).
Trend justification
Considering its population trend over three generations (c. 10 years), the data presented in Smith et al. (2023) indicate a rapid decline of c. 50%, albeit with interannual fluctuations. Conversely, the Breeding Bird Survey (Ziolkowski et al. 2022) recorded a c. 5% increase over the same period, as part of a slow long-term increase. This is mirrored by data from the Christmas Bird Count (Meehan et al. 2022), which indicate an increase of c. 17% in the non-breeding population in the southern USA (following a slow long-term increase there, possibly an artefact of short-stopping because of climate change). Partners in Flight (2023) infers that the most likely overall trend is a c. 11% increase. Overall, because of discrepancies in the data, the trend is set to unknown.
This species breeds from central Alaska (USA) through northern Canada, including the Yukon, Northwest Territories, northern provinces such as Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario, and extending east to central Quebec and southern Labrador. Its range reaches south to parts of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as well as rare instances in Minnesota and Ontario. In the USA, breeding is rare with only a historical record in central Oregon. The species' winter range spans Central America and throughout much of South America. It is common in larger Caribbean islands (Cuba and Puerto Rico), but rare on smaller islands (Moskoff 2020).
Deforestation in boreal forests poses an increasing threat in some regions. On its wintering grounds, the species is too dispersed to be significantly affected by hunting, unlike other shorebirds that flock in coastal areas (Moskoff 2020). Climate change has also been postulated a potential future threat by degrading available habitat (Cheskey et al. 2011, Galbraith et al. 2014).
A slender and relatively small dark sandpiper, measuring 19–23 cm in length. Its upperparts are dark olive-brown with fine spots of whitish-buff to cinnamon-white. It features a white throat and belly, and is distinguished by a narrow white eye-ring. The rump and central tail feathers are dark, contrasting with the dark-barred white outer tail feathers. In flight, dark underwings contrast sharply with the white belly (Moskoff 2020).
Text account compilers
Butchart, S., Ekstrom, J., Chad, E., Hermes, C., Palmer-Newton, A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/solitary-sandpiper-tringa-solitaria on 26/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 26/12/2024.