Spoon-billed Sandpiper
NameSpoon-billed Sandpiper
Common NameSpoon-billed Sandpiper
Scientific NameCalidris pygmaea
FamilyScolopacidae
Wingspan (cm)30.5
Length (cm)15
Weight (g)33
Plumage DetailsBreeding adults display a striking reddish-brown head, neck, and upper breast, with dark streaking on the crown and nape. The upperparts are mottled dark brown with rufous feather fringes, while the underparts are white with dark spots on the flanks. Non-breeding plumage is duller, featuring grey-brown upperparts and plain white underparts.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations include a soft, trilling 'preep' or 'wheep' call, often given in flight or when disturbed. They also produce a short 'whit' or 'wit' call.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatscoastal tundra, lagoons, mudflats, estuaries
Conservation Statuscritically-endangered
Geographic RangeThis species breeds in the Russian Far East, specifically in Chukotka and Kamchatka. It undertakes long migrations along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, wintering in coastal areas of Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and southern China.
Identifying FeaturesSpatulate (spoon-shaped) bill, Small size, Reddish-brown head, neck, and breast in breeding plumage, White underparts with spotted flanks in breeding plumage, Rapid, whirring flight
Description
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a small shorebird instantly recognizable by its unique spatulate (spoon-shaped) bill. In breeding plumage, as seen here, it exhibits a distinctive reddish-brown head, neck, and breast, contrasting with white underparts. This critically endangered species forages for small invertebrates in coastal mudflats and tundra wetlands.
