These birds are among the smallest of waders, very similar to the little stint , Calidris minuta , with which they were once considered conspecific.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilySandpipers and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatThe breeding habitat is low altitude tundra usually in dry raised areas.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from December to February.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by David Darrell-Lambert
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
107934approx records
8states
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
Nonbreeding adult gray above, pale below; juvenile similar but richer gray-brown above with neat pale feather edges in upperparts.
Behavior
Breeding adult has vivid orange head bordered by dark stippling (no dark markings internal to the orange, unlike Little Stint) and bright orange and gold tones in upperwing coverts.
Gallery
Regional timing
Tasmania
Victoria
South Australia
New South Wales
Queensland
Western Australia
Northern Territory
Australian Capital Territory