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Stocky, medium-sized shorebird with relatively short bill and legs.
Vulnerable
At a glance
FamilySandpipers and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatMudflats, saltmarsh, estuaries, beaches, lagoons, and shallow inland wetlands.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from December to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Lucien Hueber
Range map
Range map
555visible hotspots
18348visible 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
Combination of shape, overall color, and bill size usually distinctive. Beautiful breeding plumage shows entirely salmon-orange underparts and silvery wings with intricate patterning. Nonbreeding is plain gray with pale underparts and a white eyebrow; juvenile similar but with scaly pattern on wings. Usually shows dark barring on flanks. Legs are dull greenish or gray. Widespread and fairly common, breeding on high Arctic tundra and wintering on coastlines around the globe, as far south as Tierra del Fuego. Most numerous on beaches and mudflats; less common inland. Compare with larger, lankier, longer-billed Great Knot in Asia and Australia.
Behavior
Occurs in flocks, often mixed with other shorebirds. Feeds on a variety of small invertebrates; West Atlantic population reliant on horseshoe crab eggs during spring migration.
Gallery