Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Image: Sittichai Nanthanasit (cc-by-nc)
NameSpoon-billed Sandpiper
Common NameSpoon-billed Sandpiper
Scientific NameCalidris pygmaea
FamilyScolopacidae
Wingspan (cm)29
Length (cm)15
Weight (g)30
Plumage DetailsIn non-breeding plumage, as seen in the image, the bird has mottled brownish-grey upperparts with pale feather edgings, a white belly, and a pale supercilium. Breeding plumage features rufous-brown head, breast, and upperparts with dark streaking, contrasting with a white belly.
Vocalization / CallIts call is typically a soft, trilling 'preep' or 'wheep', sometimes a short 'whit'. During display flights, males produce a buzzing 'prr-prr-prr' sound.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatscoastal wetlands, mudflats, estuaries, saltmarshes, tundra
Conservation Statuscritically-endangered
Geographic RangeBreeds in the coastal tundra of northeastern Russia, primarily on the Chukotka Peninsula and south to the Kamchatka Peninsula. Winters along the coasts of Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and southern China.
Identifying FeaturesSpatulate (spoon-shaped) bill, Small size, Short legs, Mottled brown and white plumage (non-breeding), Rufous head and breast (breeding)
Description
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a small, distinctive shorebird known for its unique spatulate bill. It forages in shallow water and mudflats, using its specialized bill to probe and sweep for small invertebrates. This species is critically endangered, facing severe population declines.
