Very rare vagrant in North America.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilySandpipers and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityRare
HabitatAdults in breeding plumage are variably flushed with bright rusty orange on the head, neck sides, and upperparts, usually brightest in mid- to late-summer.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by David Darrell-Lambert
Range map
Range map
50visible hotspots
492visible records
6states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
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
All ages show dark legs and a straight, fine-tipped bill. Adults in breeding plumage are variably flushed with bright rusty orange on the head, neck sides, and upperparts, usually brightest in mid- to late-summer.
Behavior
Compared with breeding Red-necked Stint, note white throat and more uniformly bright wing coverts and scapulars on Little.
Gallery
Regional timing
Western Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
South Australia
Queensland
Northern Territory
Tasmania
Commonly confused with
Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaLong upturned bill, red at the base with a black tip. Breeding male shows rich rufous belly and messy black, gray, and white pattern on back. Female duller. Nonbreeding birds are overall plain gray, but juveniles have more cinnamon tones. Note white eyebrow in all plumages. Most distinctive field mark is black underwing, only seen in flight. In migration, found in flooded fields, beaches, mudflats, and shallow marshy pools, sometimes in mixed flocks with Willet or yellowlegs.→Long-toed StintCalidris subminutaUnlike most other small sandpipers in the region, this species has a distinctly long-winged and slender-bodied appearance. Note that long toes project slightly beyond tail in flight, unlike other stints. Flight call a quiet “prrrrp” similar to Curlew Sandpiper.→Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosCompare this bird carefully in the field→