Spoon-billed Sandpiper

100

6 months ago door jenny van Dorland

Points: 100

Spotted

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a tiny, highly distinctive shorebird easily recognized by its unique spatulate bill. It is a critically endangered species, facing severe population decline.

Where to spot

Breeds in the Russian Far East (Chukotka and Kamchatka) and undertakes long migrations to wintering grounds in Southeast Asia, primarily Bangladesh and Myanmar.

How to spot

Look for its unmistakable spoon-shaped bill. It often feeds in shallow water on mudflats with a characteristic head-swinging motion. Patience and good optics are essential.

When to spot

Highly challenging to observe due to its rarity. Best chances are during spring and autumn migrations (May and August-September) at known staging sites or in wintering grounds.

Where to spot

Breeds in the Russian Far East (Chukotka and Kamchatka) and undertakes long migrations to wintering grounds in Southeast Asia, primarily Bangladesh and Myanmar.

How to spot

Look for its unmistakable spoon-shaped bill. It often feeds in shallow water on mudflats with a characteristic head-swinging motion. Patience and good optics are essential.

When to spot

Highly challenging to observe due to its rarity. Best chances are during spring and autumn migrations (May and August-September) at known staging sites or in wintering grounds.

Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Its uniquely shaped bill is perfectly adapted for a specialized feeding technique: sweeping the surface of mudflats side-to-side to capture small invertebrates.

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