Curlew Sandpiper

The Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea is a small wader.

This species breeding habitat is tundra in arctic north Siberia. The male performs an aerial display during courtship. They nest on the ground in the tundra, laying 3-4 eggs.

Curlew Sandpiper is strongly migratory, wintering mainly in Africa, but also in south and southeast Asia and Australasia. It is highly gregarious, and will form flocks with other Calidris waders, particularly Dunlin. Despite its easterly breeding range, this species is regular on passage in western Europe, presumably because of the southwesterly migration route.

The numbers of this species, and of Little Stint depend on the population of Lemmings. In poor lemming years, predatory species such as skuas and Snowy Owls will take arctic breeding waders instead.

These birds forage in soft mud on marshes and the coast, mainly picking up food by sight. They mostly eat insects and other small invertebrates.

These birds are small waders, slightly larger than Dunlin, but with a longer down curved bill, longer neck and legs and a white rump. The breeding adult has patterned dark grey upperparts and brick-red underparts. In winter, this bird is pale grey above and white below, and shows an obvious white supercilium. Juveniles have grey and brown backs, white belly and a peach-coloured breast.