Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Small but mighty, this globetrotting sandpiper covers vast distances during its annual migrations, touching down on shorelines from Arctic tundra to tropical beaches.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

Temminck's Stint is a small wader with brown upperparts and greyish underparts. It has a short, straight black bill and yellowish-green legs. In breeding plumage, it shows rufous edges on its back feathers.

Non-breeding adults are plainer, with uniform grey-brown upperparts. Males and females are similar in appearance year-round. However, females are generally larger.

Juveniles resemble non-breeding adults but have buff-edged wing coverts, creating a scaly appearance on the back. A buff-brown band is visible across the breast.

Size

Length

13cm to 15cm

Wingspan

34cm to 37cm

Weight

22g to 35g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour

White

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Yellow Green

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Temminck's Stint can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Temminck's Stint can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Temminck's Stint can be found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Temminck's Stint is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Temminck's Stint breeds in the Arctic tundra of northern Europe and Asia. Russia is home to the majority of the world's breeding population. During migration and winter, it frequents a variety of wetland habitats, including mudflats, marshes, and the edges of lakes and rivers.

In the UK, it is a scarce passage migrant, seen mainly in spring and autumn. Small numbers overwinter in southern Europe, Africa, and southern Asia.

Elevation Range

Up to 4,000 meters

Climate zones

Arctic, Temperate, Tropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Temminck's Stint. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons