Bird Guide

Curlew Sandpiper vs Stilt Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Small58 gCoastal

The curlew sandpiper is a small wader 18–23 cm in length and weighing 44–117 g. It has a wingspan of 38–46 cm, a bill length of 32–44 mm, and a tarsus (the bone between the "knee" and the "ankle") length of 26–34 mm. It has a black bill, dark brown irises, and dark grey to black feet. All plumages have a large white patch on the rump, occasionally barred with red in some adults, and in flight show a distinctive white stripe going across the wing. Like most waders, the curlew sandpiper has seasonal plumages and moults yearly, shedding its old feathers and growing new ones. Voice: Only the male sings. Each song lasts for 10–15 seconds and consists of several parts, starting with several introductory notes, followed by multiple trilled doublets, a four-part phrase, and several drawn-out whine calls. Both genders vocalise calls. The alarm call is a whik, whik, whik repeated or wik-ki-ki-ki...

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: Andrew Gibson · CC BY 4.0
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)

Stilt Sandpiper

Calidris himantopus

Small57 gWetland

The stilt sandpiper resembles the curlew sandpiper in its long bill, long neck, pale supercilium and white rump. It is readily distinguished from that species by its straighter bill (only slightly curved, not obviously so), its longer and greenish-yellow (not black) legs, and in flight, by the lack of a wingbar. It also lacks an obvious wing bar in flight. Breeding adults are distinctive, heavily barred with blackish bars on a white background beneath, and with reddish-orange patches above and below the white supercilium. The back is brown with darker feather centres.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Len Blumin · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Curlew Sandpiper and Stilt Sandpiper.