Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

To fuel its epic 15,000-kilometer migration, this bird can nearly double its body weight in fat before departing on its non-stop oceanic flights.

Scientific name

Calidris ferruginea

Taxonomy

Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Charadriiformes › Scolopacidae › Calidris

IUCN Red List status

Near Threatened

Population trend

decreasing

Biome

wetland

Habitat

Arctic tundra during breeding; coastal lagoons, estuaries, intertidal mudflats, and saltpans during migration and winter.

Diet

Mainly insects and their larvae during breeding; polychaete worms, mollusks, and small crustaceans during migration.

Range

Siberia, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Australia, Western Europe

Size

Length: 18-23 cm, Wingspan: 38-41 cm, Weight: 40-90 g

Lifespan

Typically 5-10 years, with some individuals reaching over 15 years.

Active

diurnal

Threats

Reclamation of coastal wetlands (particularly in the Yellow Sea stopover region), climate change altering Arctic breeding habitats, and coastal development.

Safe to approach?

Harmless. Observe from a safe distance of at least 50 meters, especially using binoculars or a spotting scope. Avoid walking through feeding flocks on mudflats, as disturbing them wastes precious energy needed for their immense migrations. Keep pets on a leash.

The curlew sandpiper ( Calidris ferruginea ) is a small wader that breeds on the tundra of Arctic Siberia. The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris , a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ferruginea is from Latin ferrugo, ferruginis , "iron rust" referring to its colour in breeding plumage.

Photo: Nigel Voaden, CC-BY, via iNaturalist

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