The spotted sandpiper is a small shorebird. Together with its sister species the common sandpiper, it makes up the genus Actitis. They replace each other geographically; stray birds may settle down with breeders of the other species and hybridize.

This Spotted Sandpiper was photographed at Sepulveda Basin Ecological Reserve, LA, CA on April 1, 2026. View all Spotted Sandpiper photos →