Long-toed Stint
Encyclopedia
The Long-toed Stint, Calidris or Erolia subminuta, is a small wader
bird. It breeds across northern Asia
and is strongly migratory
, wintering in south and south east Asia and Australasia
. It occurs in western Europe
only as a very rare vagrant.
Little is known of the breeding habits of this species, although it nests on the ground, and the male has a display flight.
This bird has yellowish legs and a short thin dark bill. Breeding adults are a rich brown with darker feather centres above and white underneath. They have a light line above the eye and a brown crown. In winter, Long-toed Stints are grey above. The juveniles are brightly patterned above with rufous colouration and white mantle stripes.
This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny waders which are known collectively as "peeps" or "stint
s". In particular, Long-toed Stint is very similar to its North America
n counterpart, the Least Sandpiper
. It differs from that species in its more slender, longer-necked appearance, longer toes, somewhat brighter colours, and weaker wingbar.
These birds forage on mudflats, picking up food by sight, sometimes by probing. They mainly eat small crustaceans, insects and snails.
Wader
Waders, called shorebirds in North America , are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. The latter are the skuas , gulls , terns , skimmers , and auks...
bird. It breeds across northern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and is strongly migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
, wintering in south and south east Asia and Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
. It occurs in western Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
only as a very rare vagrant.
Little is known of the breeding habits of this species, although it nests on the ground, and the male has a display flight.
This bird has yellowish legs and a short thin dark bill. Breeding adults are a rich brown with darker feather centres above and white underneath. They have a light line above the eye and a brown crown. In winter, Long-toed Stints are grey above. The juveniles are brightly patterned above with rufous colouration and white mantle stripes.
This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny waders which are known collectively as "peeps" or "stint
Stint
A stint is one of several very small waders in the paraphyletic "Calidris" assemblage - often separated in Erolia -, which in North America are known as peeps...
s". In particular, Long-toed Stint is very similar to its North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n counterpart, the Least Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
The Least Sandpiper is the smallest shorebird.This species has greenish legs and a short thin dark bill. Breeding adults are brown with dark brown streaks on top and white underneath. They have a light line above the eye and a dark crown. In winter, Least Sandpipers are grey above...
. It differs from that species in its more slender, longer-necked appearance, longer toes, somewhat brighter colours, and weaker wingbar.
These birds forage on mudflats, picking up food by sight, sometimes by probing. They mainly eat small crustaceans, insects and snails.
Identification
- Jonsson, LarsLars Jonsson (bird artist)Lars Jonsson is a Swedish ornithological illustrator.-English:*Birds of Sea and Coast Penguin ISBN 0140630031*Birds of Wood, Park and Garden Penguin ISBN 0140630023...
& Peter J. GrantPeter J. GrantPeter James Grant was a British ornithologist.He co-wrote, with Killian Mullarney, the booklet "The New Approach to Identification".He wrote and revised "Gulls, an identification guide"....
(1984) Identification of stints and peeps British BirdsBritish Birds (magazine)British Birds is a monthly ornithology magazine that was established in 1907. It is now published by BB 2000 Ltd, which is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust , established for the benefit of British ornithology...
77(7):293-315 - Alström, Per & Urban Olsson (1989) The identification of juvenile Red-necked and Long-toed Stints British BirdsBritish Birds (magazine)British Birds is a monthly ornithology magazine that was established in 1907. It is now published by BB 2000 Ltd, which is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust , established for the benefit of British ornithology...
82(8):360-372 - Round, Philip D. (1996) Long-toed Stint in Cornwall: the first record for the Western Palearctic British BirdsBritish Birds (magazine)British Birds is a monthly ornithology magazine that was established in 1907. It is now published by BB 2000 Ltd, which is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust , established for the benefit of British ornithology...
89(1):12-24
External links
- Oiseaux Photos