Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

1. Rich chestnut cap and prominent white eyebrow create a capped and alert facial pattern

2. Breast streaking fades gradually into the white belly (no sharp border)

3. Dull greenish legs and straight, dark bill

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers breed in the wet tundra of far eastern Siberia, nesting from June to August. They are omnivorous, feeding on insects, small crustaceans, worms, molluscs, and plant seeds. Their feeding style involves rapid probing and picking from mud or shallow water. Juveniles take a unique migration route, detouring to Alaska to fatten up before flying non-stop across the Pacific to Australia, a remarkable feat among migratory birds. In Australia, they are present in large numbers from September to March, departing northwards by April.

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are widespread in Australia, found in both coastal and inland wetlands. They prefer shallow freshwater habitats with muddy edges and some vegetation, such as sewage ponds, flooded paddocks, ephemeral wetlands, and vegetated lake and swamp margins. After heavy inland rains, they may appear in large flocks at temporary wetlands far from the coast. They often feed at the transition between water and vegetation, and are commonly seen in large flocks that break into smaller feeding groups.