Bird GuideSandpipersTemminck's Stint

Temminck’s Stint

Temminck's Stint
Calidris temminckii
At a Glance Range & Identification Back to Top

At a Glance

Of the seven species of tiny 'peeps' and 'stints' around the world, Temminck's is the most distinctive, with its horizontal look, long tail, and white outer tail feathers. Unlike the others, it usually occurs singly or in very small groups, in marshy places instead of open mudflats. Widespread in Eurasia, it is a rare migrant in western Alaska.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Sandpiper-like Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers, Saltwater Wetlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets, Tundra and Boreal Habitats
Behavior
Direct Flight, Rapid Wingbeats, Running

Range & Identification

Description

6 1/4" (16 cm). Very rare visitor. Size and shape similar to Least Sandpiper, but with slightly longer wings and tail. Mostly dull brownish gray on back, head, and chest, with yellow to greenish legs. Bright white outer tail feathers are distinctive but hard to see.
Size
About the size of a Robin, About the size of a Sparrow
Wing Shape
Long, Pointed
Tail Shape
Rounded, Short, Square-tipped, Wedge-shaped

Songs and Calls

A high, cricketlike trill, distinctive from other tiny sandpipers.