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Long-winged, long-distance migrant similar to White-rumped Sandpiper but with warmer buffy-tan plumage.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilySandpipers and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityRare
HabitatMudflats, saltmarsh, estuaries, beaches, lagoons, and shallow inland wetlands.
Best timeMost reliable in Western Australia from March.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Alvaro Rivera Rojas
Range map
Range map
6visible hotspots
36visible records
2states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Black bill and brown rump. Breeding adults rather pale with large black spots on back. Crisp juveniles show neat scaly pattern on wings and back and have a warm buffy face and neck. Breeds in the Arctic tundra; winters in South America.
Behavior
Elongated body gives a horizontal impression when foraging; unique flattened oval shape when seen head-on. Often with flocks of other small shorebirds, but prefers drier habitats, such as the grassy edge of a mudflat, seaweed-covered upper portion of a beach, or sod field.
Gallery