Among the Scolopacidae , Xenus is part of the shank - tattler - phalarope clade and less closely related to the calidrid sandpipers.
At a glance
Sounds
Range map
Range map
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
Plumage gray overall with white belly, but in flight shows conspicuous white trailing edge to wings. Breeds in valley floodplains in tundra and taiga.
Behavior
In the non-breeding season, occurs singly or in flocks in varied wetland habitats, from fresh marshes to tidal mudflats, and often apart from other shorebirds. Feeds by dashing after insects and also by probing bill in mud, like a mini-godwit.
Gallery