Temminck's Stint
Calidris temminckii
Breeds on wet moorland mainly in Scandinavia and Russia; migrants occur in wide variety of wetland habitats across Africa and southern Asia. Found mainly as singles or small groups, locally in flocks. Often keeps apart from other shorebirds, feeding quietly at marshy and muddy edges in or adjacent to cover. Note very small size, rather plain plumage (limited bright marks on back of breeding adults), greenish-yellow legs. In flight, sides of tail flash bright white, unlike grayish of Little Stint.
Identification
These birds are very small waders, at 13.5–15 cm (5.3–5.9 in) length. They are similar in size to the little stint (Calidris minuta) but shorter legged and longer winged. The legs are yellow and the outer tail feathers white, in contrast to little stint's dark legs and grey outer tail feathers.<p>This is a rather drab wader, with mainly plain brown upperparts and head, and underparts white apart from a darker breast. The breeding adult has some brighter rufous mantle feathers to relieve the generally undistinguished appearance. In winter plumage, the general appearance recalls a tiny version of common sandpiper.<p>The call is a loud trill.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Calidris temminckii
- Authority
- (Leisler, 1812)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Genus
- Calidris
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PAL : low (locally high) Arctic to subarctic tundra of n Palearctic: s to n Scandinavia e through n Russia to e Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Russia), including New Siberian Is. (n of nc Siberia)
- Non-breeding range
- AF, OR : coastal and inland Paleotropics from se Europe, n to c Africa, Middle East, s, se Asia to Malay Pen., Borneo, sw Japan, Taiwan and ec China
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Bates's Sunbird
Cinnyris batesi
A very small nondescript sunbird with a short orange-based bill that curves uniformly along its length; easily mistaken for females of other sunbirds. The only features on the olive upperparts are indistinct paler eyebrows and lines running under the eyes, and yellow edging to the wings. Although often hidden, the male has yellow or whitish (not red) tufts at the shoulders. Singles are local and inconspicuous at the edges of lowland and riverine forest, sometimes entering secondary growth; it joins mixed-flocks and is frequently attracted to epiphytes in mossy clumps. Calls a high-pitched “tseeep” and trills. Little Green and Fraser’s sunbirds are similar to Bates’s but brighter, with straighter bills and more distinct yellowish eye-rings; Ursula’s Sunbird has a long decurved bill and grayish face and underparts.
Silver Oriole
Oriolus mellianus
Male’s bone-white back and belly are unlike that of any other oriole. Female has the same black head and wings but has a gray-brown back and a densely streaked belly. Both sexes have reddish tails. Shape and color scheme are similar to Maroon Oriole (minimal range overlap), which is much darker and browner overall. Forages in the canopy and sometimes perches out on exposed snags and treetops. Uncommon and localized in lowland and foothill moist forests. Song is a musical, flute-like series of whistles. Gives cat-like mewing calls.
Yellow-footed Honeyguide
Melignomon eisentrauti
Medium-sized honeyguide with a plain face, a slim pale bill, yellow legs, and large white patches in the outer tail. Found in the middle levels and canopy of humid forest at low and middle elevations. The distinctive vocalization is a series of around a dozen rising “sveeya” notes. The series slows down and becomes slightly lower-pitched at the end. Very similar to Zenker’s Honeyguide, but there is only minor overlap in range, and Yellow-footed is paler overall with more white in the tail. Similar to other honeyguides, but separated by the slim bill and the yellow legs. Separated from most greenbuls by the white in the tail, and from Honeyguide and Sjöstedt's Greenbuls by the smaller size and shorter tail.
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