No, a piping plover and a sandpiper are two different species of shorebirds. While they occupy similar coastal habitats and bear some superficial resemblance, they can be distinguished from each other in several key ways.
Appearance
The piping plover is a small, stout shorebird with sandy colored upperparts, a white underside, and orange legs. Adults have a black breastband, a black bar across the forehead, and an orange bill with a black tip. In flight, piping plovers show a white rump and tail with dark edges.
Sandpipers comprise a large family of shorebirds with over 30 different species. There is much variation among the different types of sandpipers, but in general they tend to have long bills and legs and quick, erratic movements. Most sandpipers lack the bold black and white coloration of the piping plover.
Size
Piping plovers are relatively small shorebirds, with adults measuring about 7 inches in length with a wingspan around 15 inches. Their plump body shape gives them a rounded appearance.
Sandpipers come in a wide range of sizes. The smallest species measure only 4-6 inches in length, while the largest can be over a foot long. Most fall somewhere in the middle at 7-11 inches in length. With their lean bodies and longer legs, sandpipers often appear more slender and elongated than piping plovers.
Behavior
Piping plovers run in short bursts and rarely wade into the water. They forage by pecking at food items on the surface of the sand or mud. When alarmed, they tend to freeze in place and rely on their camouflage rather than flee. Piping plovers are territorial and defend nesting areas during breeding season.
In contrast, sandpipers move almost constantly, wading along the shoreline and probing into mud or sand in search of food. They readily enter the water and some species even swim. When startled, most sandpipers take flight, sometimes calling loudly. They are generally less aggressive and do not maintain fixed territories.
Habitat
Piping plovers nest on open, undisturbed beaches with sandy or pebbly substrate. They favor areas with sparse vegetation. During migration and winter, they utilize beaches, sandflats, and mudflats.
Sandpipers occupy a wider variety of coastal habitats. Different species variously utilize ocean beaches, bays, mudflats, sandflats, marshes, and rocky intertidal zones. Some species move inland to forage on lakeshores, riverbanks, and wetlands.
Range
Piping plovers breed in three regions of North America: the Atlantic coast, the Great Plains, and the Great Lakes. They winter along the coasts from North Carolina to Texas and in the Bahamas.
Sandpipers have an extensive global distribution, occurring on every continent except Antarctica. Different species breed across North America, Eurasia, and the Arctic regions and migrate to coastal areas across the lower 48 states, Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
The piping plover is listed as endangered in the Great Lakes region and threatened in the remainder of its range. Habitat loss and disturbance have caused declines in its population.
Most species of sandpipers have stable populations and are considered species of least concern. However some species with restricted ranges, such as the spoon-billed sandpiper, are endangered.
Key Differences
Trait | Piping Plover | Sandpiper |
---|---|---|
Size | About 7 inches long | 4-12 inches long depending on species |
Shape | Plump, rounded | Slender, elongated |
Color | Pale sandy upperparts, white underside, black breastband and forehead bar | Usually camouflage brown, gray, or buff coloring |
Bill | Orange with black tip | Various, but not bright orange |
Legs | Orange | Yellow, gray, or black depending on species |
Behavior | Runs in bursts, territorial, freezes when alarmed | Constantly wading and probing, takes flight when startled |
Habitat | Open sandy beaches | Varied coastal and inland wetlands |
Range | Coasts of North America | Worldwide |
Conservation | Endangered or threatened | Most species are least concern |
Conclusion
While piping plovers and sandpipers are both small shorebirds that inhabit coastal areas, they belong to different families and have distinct appearances, behaviors, habitats, and conservation statuses. The key differences lie in their size, shape, coloration, bill and leg color, behavior, preferred nesting habitat, breeding and wintering ranges, and population trends. The piping plover has a much more limited range concentrated along North American coasts and is a species of greater conservation concern than most sandpipers. Being able to recognize these differences is important for birders hoping to properly identify shorebirds.