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Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) Alternate name(s): "Curlew Sting", "Pygmy Curlew" Size: 18-19 cm; wing span 42-46 cm Body mass: 35-100 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Curlew Sandpipers are very small waders. Their plumage is highly cryptic. When seen in Australia, they are usually in eclipse plumage. During the non-breeding season they have a white frons, white throat patch, grey chest and white belly, vent and undertail coverts. The head is grey with darker brownish-grey streaking. The frons connects to whitish eyebrows above darker, grey eye stripes. The nape of the neck is also grey, while the wing feathers are brownish-grey, with thin dark-grey central stripes and thin light-grey edge-lining. The upper part of the tail is white, the tip is dark-grey. In-flight they show a thin wing bar, with stripes on the primaries, and a prominent white base of the tail, while the tip is dark-grey. The tail does not have a longitudinal black centre stripe. During the breeding season, apart from small light-grey patches around the base of the bill, the head and front, down to the belly become brick-red, with some striation on the crown and some minor scalloping on chest and belly. The back is dark-grey, with brick-red scalloping and light-grey edge lining. The vent and undertail coverts are white, with some dark streaking. The tail remains dark-grey. The eyes have dark irises. The dark-grey bill is slightly downcurved and clearly longer than the size of the head. The legs and feet are dark-grey. In flight the feet protrude slightly beyond the tail. Juveniles have a very fine, crisp scaly pattern on the back (that is much neater than in adults), with chestnut and grey edge lining on a grey base. Fresh plumage also shows a buff wash on the breast. Twitcher's tip Compared with other species of sandpipers and stints, they have the longest and most prominently down-curved bill (a bit similar to a (Numenius) curlew, hence the name).

Taxonomy, classification See Curlew Sandpiper at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species 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 . The global distribution of the Curlew Sandpiper is available HERE . Curlew Sandpipers are a migratory species. The breeding grounds of Curlew Sandpipers are located in Arctic tundra and taiga, mainly in Siberia, but also in northern Europe. They are also found in large parts of western, central and southern Europe, in Asia Minor, the Middle East and along the Arabian coastline, in parts of western and central Asia, mostly in (near-)coastal regions of South-east Asia and also in far-eastern Asia, e.g. Japan. In the southern hemisphere they have two major areas of winter grounds. The western population migrates to eastern and southern Africa, while the eastern population migrates to eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia and on the North Island of New Zealand. Curlew Sandpipers are non-breeding migrants to Australia from the North. They are mainly coastal waders and can be found all along the coastline of Australia, including Tasmania and many smaller off-shore islands. Occasionally they can be found inland, mostly in the lower Murray River catchment. Elsewhere in the interior of the continent they are rare and they are never found in the major sandy deserts of eastern WA, the south-western NT and north-western SA. There are areas just inland from the Great Dividing Range, in inland NSW and QLD, where they are not found either. Curlew Sandpipers have a preference for saline water, in intertidal mudflats, estuaries, lagoons and mangrove swamps. But they are found around fresh water as well, around lakes, dams and ephemeral wetlands.

Sightings Click here for sighting information C. Hayne reports spotting at least 10 Curlew Sandpipers in non-breeding plumage, together with several other species of waders, resting on a sandbank on the shore of Lake Chickiba, Ballina, NSW, in December 2012 to January 2013. Two Curlew Sandpipers were spotted by us on large farm dams near Breeza, NSW, in December 2013. M. Eaton reports finding Curlew Sandpipers at Caloundra Headlands, QLD, in January 2018, at Nudgee Beach, QLD, in March 2018, and at the Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, in January 2019. Others were found at Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, in January 2023, and at the Stockton Sandspit, Hunter Wetlands NP, Newcastle, NSW, in December 2023. 3 Curlew Sandpipers were found by us at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake 30 km South of Gunnedah, NSW, in January 2022. A single Curlew Sandpiper was found at the same location in December 2023. We also found a few Curlew Sandpipers in an ephemeral wetland ca. 40 km South of Mungindi, NSW, in February 2023.

Photos

ADULT

BREEDING

MALE

Distant near-lateral view of a Curlew Sandpiper in what looks like (already) worn breeding plumage; based on the length of the bill, this is probably a male (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, March 2018]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a Curlew Sandpiper in fresh breeding plumage; based on the length of the bill, this is probably a female
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, March 2018]

NON-BREEDING

MALE

Near-lateral view of a male(?) Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, November 2018]

Lateral view of a male(?) Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra Headland, QLD, January 2018]

Lateral view of a male(?) Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, November 2018]

Lateral view of a male(?) Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, November 2018]

Lateral view of a male(?) Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage; note the rather long hind toes
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, November 2018]

Lateral view of a male(?) Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage spreading its wings (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Nudgee Beach, QLD, November 2018]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female(?) Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage
[Near Breeza, NSW, December 2013]

Female(?) Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage feeding on the edge of a farm dam
[Near Breeza, NSW, December 2013]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]

Near-lateral view of a Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]

Near-lateral view of a Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]

Lateral view of a Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]

Lateral view of two Curlew Sandpipers in non-breeding plumage on a beach (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra Headland, QLD, January 2018]

Lateral view of 10 Curlew Sandpipers in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hunter Wetlands NP, Newcastle, NSW, December 2023]

Near-dorsal/dorsal view of 5 Curlew Sandpipers in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hunter Wetlands NP, Newcastle, NSW, December 2023]

Small flock of waders in non-breeding plumage on the shore of an ephemeral lake; most of them are Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, with 3 Curlew Sandpipers (down-curved black bill, black legs)
[Goran Lake, 30 km South of Gunnedah, NSW, January 2022]

Lateral view of a small flock of waders in non-breeding plumage on the shore of an ephemeral lake; most of them are Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, with 3 Curlew Sandpipers (down-curved black bill, black legs)
[Goran Lake, 30 km South of Gunnedah, NSW, January 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, January 2019]

Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage in flight
[Near Breeza, NSW, December 2013]

Curlew Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage in flight, seen from behind; note the white rump
[Near Breeza, NSW, December 2013]

Cox's Sandpiper - Calidris melanotos x ferruginea

Pectoral Sandpipers and Curlew Sandpipers can hybridize. The hybrids are called "Cox's Sandpiper".

M. Eaton reports finding a Cox's Sandpiper at the Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, in March 2019.

Identification of Cox's Sandpiper is made based on the bill, the streaked front and the white undertail coverts. The bill is very similar to a Curlew Sandpiper's but usually shorter, possibly also less curved. The front down to the chest is streaked like a Pectoral Sandpiper, with a sharp cut-off at the chest. The all-white undertail coverts distinguish Cox's Sandpiper from the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

NON-BREEDING

Near-lateral view of a Cox's Sandpiper in transitional plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Cox's Sandpiper in transitional plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Cox's Sandpiper in transitional plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Frontal view of a Cox's Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage, right, with a non-breeding Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Near-frontal view of Cox's Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Near-lateral view of Cox's Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Cox's Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Cox's Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Cox's Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage, right, with a non-breeding Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Cox's Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage, right, with a non-breeding Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Dorsal/ventral view of Cox's Sandpiper in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Kianawah Road Wetland, Wynnum, QLD, March 2019]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ?

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary/mob

Curlew Sandpipers used to be one of the most common species of waders in Australia. In the past they were often found in flocks. However, their numbers have declined drastically since the 1980ies and now (2020ies) they are mostly found as singles or in small numbers.

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.

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