It breeds in the Arctic and subarctic of North America, migrates south, and winters in South America. It probes for food in freshwater wetlands.
It has long yellow-green legs and a long, slightly downcurved bill. In breeding plumage, the crown and ear patch are chestnut, and the body is barred brown and white.
From 1994 to 2018, researchers surveyed 2,336 plots across the Canadian Arctic. Stilt Sandpiper was among the 17 shorebird species included in habitat models. Surveyors recorded birds alongside climate and local features such as vegetation, snowmelt, and terrain.
No shorebirds were found on 54% of the plots, so empty sites also contributed to estimates of where birds occurred. Plots were usually 12–16 hectares, and two surveyors spent about 90 minutes on each one. The team used these scattered observations to model how breeding-shorebird occurrence related to local environments.
Across 17 Arctic shorebird models, land cover often predicted where birds occurred better than climate. Other habitat details explained 57% of modelled differences on average.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
For Arctic shorebirds such as Stilt Sandpiper, habitat assessments should include land cover and human development as well as climate. Climate-only models may misidentify the size and location of suitable habitat.