Calidris falcinellus
The Broad-billed Sandpiper, *Calidris falcinellus*, is a distinctive and often elusive shorebird of the genus *Calidris*, measuring 15-18 cm (6-7 in) in length with a wingspan of 34-37 cm (13-15 in) and weighing 30-65 g (1.1-2.3 oz). Its most notable field mark is its unique bill, broad at the base and slightly decurved towards the tip, often giving it a somewhat 'droopy' appearance, accompanied by dark legs and a prominent supercilium that typically splits in front of the eye. In breeding pl...
This species primarily inhabits high Arctic tundra bogs and wet sedge meadows for breeding, transitioning to coastal mudflats, estuaries, and shallow freshwater wetlands during migration and winter.
The diet consists almost exclusively of small aquatic invertebrates, including insect larvae, small crustaceans, and marine worms, obtained by rapid, continuous probing.
Broad-billed Sandpipers are typically diurnal, foraging actively during low tide periods and roosting communally in sheltered areas during high tide or at night. Their distinctive foraging technique involves a rapid, continuous 'sewing machine' motion of the broad-based bill, probing incessantly ...
The Broad-billed Sandpiper breeds across a vast expanse of the northern Palearctic, from northern Norway and Sweden east through Finland and Russia, extending across Siberia to the Anadyr region. Its wintering grounds are equally extensive, encompassing coastal areas from eastern Africa, particul...
Least Concern
- The Broad-billed Sandpiper's unique broad-based, decurved bill is a specialized tool, allowing it to forage with a distinctive rapid 'sewing machine' action, probing continuously in shallow mud. - Despite its name suggesting a 'broad' bill, the broadening is mostly at the base, tapering to a fi...