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Stilt Sandpipers breed in moist tundra of subarctic and Low Arctic North America. Some individuals winter in coastal areas as far north as South Carolina, but the majority winter in the grasslands of interior South America. Surveys during fall migration suggest a moderate decrease in the abundance of Stilt Sandpipers relative to about 1970. With a large percentage of the global breeding population, Canada's responsibility for the species is very high. The Stilt Sandpiper is a candidate wildlife species for assessment by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
The range of the Stilt Sandpiper overlaps with that of several populations of over-abundant arctic geese. Geese degrade tundra habitats by grazing heavily on grasses, sedges and their rhizomes (Alisauskas et al. 2006) and this degraded tundra supports lower densities of shorebirds (Sammler et al. 2008, Hines et al. 2010). The issue is widespread in arctic Canada, and the habitat degradation is serious at some locations in the eastern Arctic in particular (see Klima and Jehl, Jr. 2012). The apparent decreases in the abundance of Stilt Sandpipers in Canada could be partially a consequence of over-abundant geese and degraded habitats in the Canadian portion of their range. Loss or degradation of wintering and staging habitats could also be a factor.
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.