Curlew Sandpiper illustration
Birdsong field guide

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

A small, elegant migratory shorebird characterized by its distinctive down-curved bill and deep brick-red breeding plumage.

What it sounds like

A soft, liquid, two-syllable 'chirrip' or 'prip-prip' typically given in flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Rec. MILLON Xavier · FranceCC BY-NC-SAXeno-canto

Field notes

  • Its decurved bill is a specialized tool for probing deep into soft mud for aquatic invertebrates.
  • It undergoes one of the longest migrations of any bird, traveling from the Siberian Arctic to as far south as Tasmania and South Africa.
  • In flight, it displays a conspicuous white rump, which distinguishes it from the similar Dunlin.
  • Male and female plumage is nearly identical, both turning a vibrant chestnut-red during the breeding season.
  • It occasionally hybridizes with other sandpipers, most notably resulting in the rare 'Cox’s Sandpiper' hybrid.
Habitat
Arctic tundra during breeding; coastal mudflats, estuaries, lagoons, and inland wetlands during the non-breeding season.
Range
Breeds in the central Siberian Arctic; winters throughout Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australasia.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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