# Curlew Sandpiper (*Calidris ferruginea*) The Curlew Sandpiper is a small, beautiful bird with long legs and a curved beak. It loves to run along the shore and search for tiny food in the sand and mud. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Curlew Sandpiper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Calidris_ferruginea%252C_winter_adult%252C_Pak_Thale.jpg&width=800) Photo: JJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calidris_ferruginea%252C_winter_adult%252C_Pak_Thale.jpg) ## Appearance The Curlew Sandpiper has a long, slender, downward-curved bill and relatively long dark legs. In breeding season, it sports striking brick-red underparts and a dark mottled back, while non-breeding birds are a plainer grey-brown above and white below. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Calidris ## Interesting facts - Sometimes, thousands of them flock together during migration! - The male often cares for the chicks all by himself! - Their nesting grounds are in the very cold Arctic tundra! - They can drink saltwater, thanks to special glands! ## Special abilities - **Arctic Navigator:** Curlew Sandpiper can fly thousands of miles because they have incredible stamina that helps them migrate from the Arctic to southern continents. - **Mud Probe Master:** Curlew Sandpiper can find hidden worms deep in the mud because of their long, sensitive, curved bill that acts like a precise detector. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Curlew Sandpiper has drab gray and white feathers in winter that help them disappear against muddy shores, hiding from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 18-23 cm - **Wingspan:** 38-46 cm - **Weight:** 0.04-0.11 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 19-22 days - **Migration Distance:** 15000 km ## Diet & Feeding They munch on tiny worms and insects found hiding in mud and sand. - **Primary Foods:** Marine worms, Insect larvae, Small crustaceans, Mollusks - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — hunts them during their long migration flights - **Eaten by:** [Great Black-backed Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-black-backed-gull) (*Larus marinus*) — preys on eggs, chicks, and sometimes adults - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — eats their eggs and chicks in the Arctic - **Eats:** Common Ragworm (*Hediste diversicolor*) — probes mudflats to find these marine worms - **Eats:** Laver Spire Shell (*Hydrobia ulvae*) — sucks tiny snails from the surface of mudflats ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Curlew Sandpiper? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Curlew Sandpiper? 18-23 cm ### What is Curlew Sandpiper's wingspan? 38-46 cm ### How much does Curlew Sandpiper weigh? 0.04-0.11 kg ### How long does Curlew Sandpiper live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Curlew Sandpiper move? 70 km/h ### What does Curlew Sandpiper eat? They munch on tiny worms and insects found hiding in mud and sand. ### Where is Curlew Sandpiper usually found? Coastal areas ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Curlew Sandpiper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/curlew-sandpiper)