This slender sandpiper is a rare but nearly annual visitor to Oregon. Although easily overlooked, its drooped bill, light eyeline, long neck, long greenish legs, and unstriped wings in flight help set this medium-sized shorebird apart from similar species.

Its preferred habitat during migration is shallow freshwater, usually avoiding mudflats and beaches. It feeds on invertebrates such as midge, beetle and mosquito larvae.

A rare fall and occasional spring transient, it is most frequently found in estuarine habitat along the coast. It is also found along the shorelines of the Great Basin region.

Hear the call of the Stilt sandpiper

Photo by Mark Peck, Flickr