Page 183 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WADERS
Order Charadriiformes Family Scolopacidae Species Calidris minuta
Little Stint pale head with forked
whitish line
cream lines
on back streaked cap over eye
strong cream
“V” on back
JUVENILE
(AUTUMN)
bright white short
IN FLIGHT underside black bill
black legs pale breast
with some
flecks at sides

dull grey
upperparts
black and
cream mottling
on rich brown
upperparts
JUVENILE (AUTUMN)
ADULT
(SUMMER)
ADULT (WINTER)
bright
rufous
body
FLIGHT: fast, twisting; often going well out over
he smallest of the water and returning.
Tcommon waders, the
Little Stint is a shoreline bird
around the Mediterranean in
spring, moving far to the north in summer. In
autumn, adults move south early, to be followed by a
larger wave of juveniles in western Europe, a pattern
followed by several wader species. Little Stints are
often mixed up with larger numbers of Dunlins and,
sometimes, Curlew Sandpipers.
VOICE Hard, dry, sharp tip or trip, sometimes ti-ti-trip.
NESTING Small, shallow scrape on ground, close to
water; 4 eggs; 1 brood; May–July. MIGRANT JUVENILE
FEEDING Scampers about at water’s edge, finding tiny Most autumn migrants are clean, bright, well-marked juveniles. They are
animal matter; does not often wade deeply. often remarkably tame.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds on tundra. On migration,
DUNLIN juvenile; no “V” on appears beside all kinds of muddy
see p.178 back
pools and lagoons, less so on sea
larger coast. Adults found mostly in
SE Europe in spring; majority
longer
bill in W Europe being small parties
of juveniles in autumn.
duller SANDERLING
on flanks summer; Seen in the UK
and belly see p.177 larger J F M A M J JA S O N D
Length 12–14cm (4 3 ⁄4 –5 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 34–37cm (13 1 ⁄2 –14 1 ⁄2in) Weight 20–40g ( 11 ⁄16 –1 7 ⁄16oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Secure†
181