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Broad-billed Sandpiper
(Calidris falcinellus)
Size: 16-18 cm; wing span 37-39 cm
Weight: 25-50 g
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Broad-billed Sandpipers are small waders.
Their plumage
is cryptic.
When seen in Australia, they are in eclipse
plumage.
During the non-breeding
season the underparts, except for the chest, which is streaked
grey, are white. The upperparts are light-grey, with white
edge lining on the scapulars and darker-grey spines on the
feathers.
The head, when seen up close, has two white lateral crown
stripes which, together with the white supercilia, give the
species the appearance of having two supercilia on both sides,
with two grey stripes separating them. The two grey eye-stripes
separate the whole from the white to light-grey cheeks and ear
coverts.
Towards the breeding season the
plumage attains
a tile-like appearance, with dark centres to the wing feathers
surrounded by conspicuous white to rufous edges. The streaking
on breast and neck is more pronounced than in
eclipse
and the flanks are then also streaked.
The bill, which is a bit longer than the size of the head, is
black. The distinguishing feature of this species is that the
bill has a downward kink near its tip.
The irises are dark. Legs and feet are grey to greenish-grey.
Juveniles
roughly resemble non-breeding adults, but they have a
crisper, tidier plumage,
with higher colour contrast.
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Twitcher's tip |
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The correct identification of waders ("shorebirds"), e.g. of the
Calidris, Tringa, Actitis and
related families or of the Charadrius, Pluvialis and related genera
in the field can be quite tricky. We have therefore made an attempt to
give some advice HERE.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See
Broad-billed Sandpiper at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Broad-billed Sandpiper is available
HERE
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Broad-billed Sandpipers are a strongly migratory species that
breeds in taiga bogs of northern Europe and Siberia. Outside
the northern summer they migrate southwards, overwintering in
a wide area ranging from easternmost Africa via southern Asia
to Australia and the North Island of New Zealand.
In Australia
Broad-billed Sandpipers are non-breeding migrants from the North.
They stay around most of the coastal fringe, with the exception
of an area from roughly Perth, WA, to Adelaide, SA.
In Australia Broad-billed Sandpipers are usually found along
beaches and
intertidal
mudflats.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
M. Eaton reports finding a Broad-billed Sandpiper at the Port of
Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, in November 2018, and again
in January 2019.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this page
has been kindly contributed by M. Eaton.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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NON-BREEDING |
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Lateral view of a Broad-billed Sandpiper in non-breeding
plumage;
note the downward kink near the tip of the bill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, November 2018]
Lateral view of a Broad-billed Sandpiper in non-breeding
plumage, right,
with a Red-necked
Stint (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, January 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Broad-billed Sandpiper in non-breeding
plumage;
note the downward kink near the tip of the bill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, January 2019]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
