What is "purple sandpiper"

Purple \Pur"ple\, a.

1. Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or red and blue color; as, a purple robe.

2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority.

   Hide in the dust thy purple pride.
   --Shelley.

3. Blood-red; bloody.

   May such purple tears be alway shed.
   --Shak.

   I view a field of blood, And Tiber rolling with a purple blood.
   --Dryden.

   Purple bird (Zo["o]l.), the European purple gallinule. See under Gallinule.

   Purple copper ore. (Min.) See Bornite.

   Purple grackle (Zo["o]l.), the crow blackbird. See under Crow.

   Purple martin. See under Martin.

   Purple sandpiper. See under Sandpiper.

   Purple shell. See Ianthina.

n. A type of sandpiper, ''Calidris maritima''.

The purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima) is a small shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific maritima is from Latin and means "of the sea", from mare, "sea".