Sanderlings breed in the Mid- to High Arctic and winter across 100 degrees of latitude on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, from coastal British Columbia to southern Chile. Populations in the northeastern High Arctic migrate to European wintering grounds. Results from migration monitoring surveys suggest that the abundance of Sanderlings migrating south through North America has decreased substantially relative to the early 1970s. The species' preference for beaches and coastal habitats during the non-breeding season exposes it to a variety of anthropogenic threats. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Sanderlings have undergone significant population declines in the last few decades, likely due to human-related threats and pollution on the wintering grounds and during migration (Labarrère 2016). Sanderlings winter on temperate and tropical beaches across the Americas and are exposed to human disturbance throughout a large proportion of their range. This disturbance is known to displace wintering Sanderlings and reduce their time available for foraging (e.g., Burger and Gochfeld 1991, Pfister et al. 1992). During migration, Sanderlings rely on ideal foraging conditions at a network of interior wetlands and coastal habitats. Sanderlings face a variety of risks related to habitat loss and degradation at several key staging sites (Macwhirter et al. 2002), which may affect their future status.
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.