Sandpipers · Shorebirds
Curlew Sandpiper
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Calidris ferruginea
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Voice
Call
How to recognize it
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Starling-sized; long bill with a clear downward curve
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In breeding plumage, head and underparts rusty red, richer in males
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Outside breeding season, grey-brown upperparts, white underparts, pale eyebrow
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In flight, a white wing stripe and large white rump patch
About the species
Its look changes sharply with the seasons. In breeding plumage, the head, neck and breast turn deep rusty red, especially in males, while the wings remain grey-brown. The rest of the year, it is grey-brown above and pale below, with fine breast streaks; a white eyebrow and bright white rump stand out against the darker feathers, especially in flight.
It picks its way through shallow water and mud, probing for food, and often feeds in large flocks outside the breeding season. Its flight call is a short chirrup that dips in the middle; on Arctic breeding grounds, males add warbling calls during long aerial courtship chases.
It breeds on wet, open tundra in Siberia, then travels south across Europe and Asia to winter mainly in Africa, with smaller numbers along the coasts of South and Southeast Asia and Australasia. On migration and in winter, it uses tidal mudflats, salt pans and wetland edges, feeding on insects, worms, molluscs and small crabs, sometimes with seeds.
Where to find
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During migration, look for Curlew Sandpipers probing the mud for food at sewage ponds.
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On sheltered tidal mudflats during the wintering season, watch large flocks feeding by the water.
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At high tide, scan sandbars and lagoon islets for mixed flocks roosting.
