The Sanderling (Calidris alba) is found in a wide range of coastal areas globally, with breeding grounds located in the high Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia, including Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Russia. During migration and wintering periods, they are distributed along coastlines worldwide, including in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia.

Sanderlings inhabit coastal environments, particularly sandy beaches, mudflats, and tidal flats. They thrive in regions where the climate is extremely cold during the breeding season in the Arctic, with long days and short growing seasons. However, outside the breeding season, they adapt to varied temperate to tropical climates along coasts where they winter.

Sanderlings occupy an ecological niche as shorebirds that forage for food in the intertidal zone, primarily feeding on small invertebrates such as crustaceans, insects, and marine worms. Their foraging involves characteristic 'wave chasing,' running back and forth with the movement of the tide. This niche positions them as integral components of the coastal food web, contributing to the control of invertebrate populations and serving as prey for larger predators.