Sanderling Plan - Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network

the Central flyway, moving up the Texas Gulf coast and across the prairies (Myers et al. 1984a,
1985, 1990; Castro and Myers 1987).
Eastern. Most of the birds wintering along the Atlantic coast of South America, as well as
a small portion of those from the Pacific coast, use this eastern flyway. During spring,
Sanderlings migrate relatively quickly up the Florida Atlantic coast (their timing differs on the
Florida Gulf coast) and the Carolinas during mid-March to early April. Birds stage at Delaware
Bay (New Jersey) and pass through Massachusetts during May and early June. Spring peak
numbers occur in mid- to late May. The most important stopover site on this flyway is Delaware
Bay, where Sanderlings feast on Horseshoe Crab eggs during a brief 2-week window.
MAJOR HABITATS
Breeding
Sanderlings nest in the high arctic on coastal tundra, peninsulas, and islands, where
precipitation is less than 2.5 cm/year (Cramp and Simmons 1983). Characteristics of typical
nesting areas range from well-vegetated moist sites, to gravel slopes or dry flats with sparse to no
vegetation. Most nests are found on stony ridge tops, gentle slopes, and/or level alluvial plains,
often within 0.5 kilometers of wet tundra, ponds, and/or lakes (MacWhirter et al. 2002).
Migration
During the nonbreeding season throughout its extensive range, this species occurs
predominantly on sandy ocean beaches. Favored sites include hard-packed sandy beaches, but
Sanderlings also use tidal mudflats (especially those with a moderate sand component), and
rocky coastlines. Otherwise, on migration through the Canadian Prairies region (mainly in
spring), Sanderlings use sandy beaches along shallow, saline or alkaline lakes/wetlands;
elsewhere, they occur along margins of lakes, ponds, streams, and reservoirs (Godfrey 1986,
Andrews and Righter 1992, Dickson and Duncan 1993). Sanderlings roost mainly on sand or
cobble beaches above the wave-splash zone, or (less often) on slightly elevated sites, such as
salt-marsh hummocks (MacWhirter et al. 2002). In Chaplin Lake, Saskatchewan, Sanderlings
regularly roost on dikes associated with a Sodium sulphate mining operation (G. Beyersbergen
pers. comm) (Note: Sodium sulphate is mainly used for the manufacture of detergents and paper
pulping).
WHSRN – Sanderling Conservation Plan, February 2010, v1.1 21