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Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii) — photo 1 of 5
© Andreas Trepte CC BY-SA 2.5

Sandpipers · Shorebirds

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Voice

Call

Sonothèque ADVL

0:02

How to recognize it

  • Very small wader, sparrow-sized

  • Yellow legs; outer tail feathers white

  • Shorter-legged, longer-winged than Little Stint

  • Plain brown upperparts, dark breast, loud trill

About the species

Temminck's Stint is a very small, understated wader. It stands out more by its neat shape and the clean white in the tail than by any flashy look.

It moves calmly, without much fuss. During migration it travels alone or in small groups, and in the breeding season males give their song in a hovering display, hanging almost in place, or sing from a raised perch.

For breeding it uses damp northern places with sparse grass, while on passage and in winter it favors freshwater edges, floodwaters, marshy ground, and muddy shores. It feeds on insects and other small invertebrates, moving slowly and snatching prey from mud or the water surface.

Where to find

  • Along muddy pond edges, canal banks, and quiet backwaters — where there is sparse grass and soft silt, Temminck's Stint darts in short bursts and pecks right at the waterline.

  • At rain puddles and shrinking floodwater — look for quick, careful steps across wet ground, then a freeze with the bill lowered.

  • On marshy park margins and reed-fringed stream edges — its thin silver trill and brief hovering display can give it away.

  • Near vacant lots and shallow drains in newer districts, especially where water remains and shrubs break the edge, it often stands on an open patch of mud or a small stone.

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