Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Calidris acuminata
The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) is a uncommon sandpiper found in 56 countries, weighing about 66 g. The sharp-tailed sandpiper is a small-medium migratory wader or shorebird, found mostly in Siberia during the summer breeding period and Australia for wintering.
About the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
The sharp-tailed sandpiper is a small-medium migratory wader or shorebird, found mostly in Siberia during the summer breeding period and Australia for wintering.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
A small-medium wader, the portly sandpiper has a pot belly, flat back and somewhat drawn-out rear end. It has a mottled chestnut-brown upper body with sharp-looking feathers with a dark centre, a chestnut cap on its head and a brown stripe through each eye. Its bill is dark grey to black and straight, and its legs are olive- to yellow-coloured. The underparts are white or paler in colour, with the mottling similar to that on the breast and sides of the belly. The plumage is more vivid during the breeding season and duller in its winter plumage.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in France, Germany, Netherlands, India, South Africa, Finland, Denmark, Spain, Mexico, Brunei, Portugal, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kiribati.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper?
- A small-medium wader, the portly sandpiper has a pot belly, flat back and somewhat drawn-out rear end. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper?
- The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is a medium sized bird weighing about 66 g.
- Where can you see a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper?
- The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper occurs in 56 countries, including Australia, Taiwan, the United States, China and New Zealand.
- What birds look similar to a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper?
- The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is most easily confused with the Surfbird, the Broad-billed Sandpiper and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper.
- Is the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper endangered?
- The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper for real
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