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Gangly wader with a long bicolored bill.
NT: Endangered
At a glance
FamilySandpipers and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatMudflats, saltmarsh, estuaries, beaches, lagoons, and shallow inland wetlands.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from October to March.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Petter Westberg
Range map
Range map
1228visible hotspots
87783visible records
6states
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
Breeding plumage is dark brick-red below (male) or pale orangey (female); nonbreeding plumage is overall gray-brown with white belly; compare to Black-tailed Godwit. In flight shows rather plain upperwings with only a faint whitish wing stripe; white rump and finely barred tail. Mainly coastal away from tundra breeding grounds.
Behavior
Often in flocks feeding on mudflats and in brackish coastal lagoons, roosting in adjacent freshwater habitats. Feeds by probing its long bill into the mud.
Gallery