General Description: Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) are small, short-legged shorebirds that migrate through the Las Vegas area and can sometimes be seen during winter. In winter plumage, note the dark back, white front, black legs, and bill that is longer than the head in profile. Leg color and bill length are the main identifiers. In breeding plumage, a red line running down the back, a rusty crown, and maybe a few spots on the flanks are distinctive for this species.

Taxonomy: Charadriiformes, Scolopacidae, Scolopacinae.

Favored Habitat: Edges of ponds, marshes, streams, lakes.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, look for Western Sandpipers around water, especially in marshy places such as the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, the Pahranagat Valley, and the Overton Wildlife Management Area.

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