Are you an expert on peeps? Test your shorebird ID skills with Bird Academy’s Snap ID tool and quiz yourself to recognize Least Sandpipers and Semipalmated Sandpipers. Even though these birds look very similar, there are a few visual keys to ID.

  • Least Sandpipers have yellow legs, a slightly down-curved beak, and darker, more reddish plumage.
  • Semipalmated Sandpipers are slightly larger, with a straight beak and lighter coloring.

Lighting and perspective can sometimes make spotting these visual cues challenging. See if you can identify them in the quiz below. You can replay the quiz as many times as you want; each time you hit “Play Again,” you’ll have new photo matchups to practice on. Just click “Start Snap ID Challenge” to get started!

Test Your Sandpiper ID Skills

Practice makes identification a snap.
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Interested in going further with the rewarding and exciting realm of shorebird identification? Check out the self-paced, online course Be a Better Birder: Shorebird Identification to learn keys to ID for the 47 shorebird species that regularly appear in the continental U.S. and Canada. Be sure to download and print the free Shorebird ID pocket guide to ID shorebirds on the go!

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Be a Better Birder: Shorebird Identification The comprehensive course on shorebirds from expert Kevin McGowan. Covers all 47 species regularly found in the continental U.S. and Canada. Practice for the field with Snap ID.
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Understanding Bird Behavior Birds are simply amazing! Explore the full spectrum of bird behaviors and learn to confidently interpret new behaviors when you see them.
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