Bird Guide

Stilt Sandpiper vs Temminck's Stint

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
Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii)

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Small23 gGrassland

These birds are very small waders, at 13.5–15 cm (5.3–5.9 in) length. They are similar in size to the little stint (Calidris minuta) but shorter legged and longer winged. The legs are dull yellowish or brown, and the outer tail feathers white, in contrast to little stint's black legs and grey outer tail feathers. This is a rather drab wader, with mainly plain brown upperparts and head, and underparts white apart from a darker breast. The breeding adult has some brighter rufous and/or blackish mantle feathers to relieve the generally undistinguished appearance.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: renshuchu · CC0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Stilt Sandpiper and Temminck's Stint.