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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Stilt Sandpiper

See a larger version of this photograph of a juvenile Stlit Sandpiper (86kb)

Stilt Sandpiper

Calidris himantopus

Photograph © Martin Scott
Ardvule - South Uist - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
15th September, 2008

 

• Stilt Sandpiper
• Calidris himantopus
• UK: 1958 -2004 just 20 records BTO
• UK: Accidental
• WI: Very rare visitor (less than 5 records). Not on the 2005 Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist
• Breeds: Nests on the ground. lays 3-4 eggs. Open coasts. Arctic North America
• Winters: Inland waters. Central & South America. Rare vagrant to W Europe
• Habitat: Tundra (migration mudflats, flooded fields)
• Slightly larger than Dunlin. Curved bill. Long wings. Long neck. White rump (back above tail). Pale stripe over eye (supercilium). Legs much longer & paler than Curlew Sandpiper's & no noticeable wing bar in flight.
  Breeding adult heavily barred below. Strong head pattern. Reddish patches above & below the pale eye stripe. Brown back feathers (dark centres).
  Winter bird grey above. White below.
  Juvenile resembles adult (brownish back). Not barred below. Back feathers have white fringes.
• Diet: Forages muddy areas, picking up food by sight & probing. Mainly insects, other invertebrates, aquatic plant seeds
• Similar birds: Curlew Sandpiper (legs much shorter & dark, no wing bar)
  

 

Stilt Sandpiper records in the Western Isles

Very rare visitor (less than 5 records)

The chart below shows how abundant the Stilt Sandpiper is during a month or when you are more likely to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

Not on the Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist

 

 

Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

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