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Medium-sized sandpiper with long legs and bill.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilySandpipers and Allies
SizeSmall
RarityRare
HabitatMudflats, saltmarsh, estuaries, beaches, lagoons, and shallow inland wetlands.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from December to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Hal Mitchell
Range map
Range map
3visible hotspots
178visible records
1states
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
Shaped like a tall, stretched-out Dunlin. Breeding plumage is striking with extensive messy black-and-white barring, white eyebrow, and orange cheek. Nonbreeding is plain pale gray with contrasting white eyebrow. Juveniles usually show pale buffy tones on the head and neck and have an attractive scaly pattern on the upperparts. At all ages, note long, slightly droopy bill and dull yellowish-green legs. In flight, look for pale tail and white rump. Breeds on Arctic tundra in Canada and Alaska. Common migrant through central North America; uncommon to rare on both coasts. During migration and winter, found in shallow wetlands, including marshes, flooded fields, and muddy ponds.
Behavior
Usually wades in the water while feeding, often mixed with yellowlegs and dowitchers.
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