Curlew Sandpiper

Scientific Name: Calidris ferruginea

Malay Name: Kedidi Paruh Lengkuk

Chinese Name: 弯嘴滨鹬

Range: Breeds Arctic Siberia; winters to sub-Saharan Africa east to southeast Asia.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 19-21.5 cm

Identification: Medium-sized sandpiper with long, downcurved bill. In non-breeding plumage, shows clear contrasting white supercilium (unlike Dunlin, which has a weak or indistinct supercilium). See Broad-billed Sandpiper for differences. In breeding plumage, head, neck, and underparts mostly rufous; upperparts washed with gray and rufous tones. Birds in early migratory season (July-August) often display patches of rufous on breast and upper belly.

Similar looking species: Broad-billed Sandpiper

Habitat: Mudflats, sandflats, and brackish lagoons.

Behaviour/Ecology: Picks prey from surface of mud, occasionally probing.

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2017)

Location: Sightings over the last 10 years were reported from Chek Jawa, Sungei Buloh, Mandai Mudflats, and Pulau Tekong.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Estimated average number of individuals by week based on eBird data, Jul 2013 to Jun 2023
Peak week Oct 22-Oct 28
Early date 21 Jul 1996
Late date 21 Jun 1992
An increasingly scarce wader with only a handful of birds in recent years. Look out for birds in partial breeding plumage (with rufous patches on underparts) in July and August.

References:

BirdLife International. (2017). Calidris ferruginea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22693431A110631069.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

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