Sanderlings are plucky, coastal creatures. These small shorebirds love to chase receding waves, jabbing their black bills into wet sand to unearth crabs, mollusks, worms, and crustaceans. But when the water surges back, they dart up the beach to safety. 

Well, most of them do. 

Pixar’s Oscar-nominated, animated short film stars one hungry baby Sanderling, Piper—the film’s namesake—who doesn’t quite make it to dry land. After the surf barrels over Piper, she refuses to trove the shore for food, instead settling into the dunes with a rumbly tummy. The film’s six minutes of awe-inspiring animation chronicle the young bird’s journey to tackle her fears and learn to feed herself. 

Director Alan Barillaro got the idea for Piper from observing skittish sandpipers scouring beaches near his workplace: Pixar Studios in Emeryville, California. To avoid anthropomorphizing the shorebirds, he consulted Monterey Bay Aquarium’s avian experts about sanderling physiology and behavior. The result? Meticulously designed, stunning visuals that stay true to biology … and one very, very cute baby bird. 

Piper was released in June 2016 as an opener to Finding Dory. It is a first Academy Award nomination for both Barillaro and producer Marc Sondheimer, and, if it wins, will be the first Pixar short to nab an Oscar in 15 years.