Bird

Spoon-billed Sandpiper

Calidris pygmaea

Also known as Spoonbill Sandpiper

Spoon-billed sandpipers are famed for their distinctive spatulate bill tip, which they sweep side-to-side through shallow water and mud to filter out tiny invertebrates. Breeding adults sport a rich rufous head, neck, and breast, transitioning to a mottled grey and white plumage for their non-breeding winter stay in intertidal mudflats. Every autumn, these tiny shorebirds undertake a perilous migration along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, making their survival heavily dependent on critical stopover habitats.

MigratoryShorebird

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—observations

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Critically EndangeredConservation status

Key facts

Diet & preyMollusks, Crustaceans, Insect larvae

Predators

Arctic foxes
Skuas
Falcons

ThreatsHabitat loss at coastal stopover sites, intertidal land reclamation, climate change, and human disturbance

HabitatsCoastal tundra, intertidal mudflats, sandflats, and estuaries

Life span5–10 years

Classification

FamilyScolopacidae
SpeciesCalidris pygmaea

Range & activity

Range data is not available yet.

Safe observation

Interaction riskLow

Low
Moderate
High
Very high

Why interaction risk is low: Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice: Look for a small shorebird with a unique spatulate bill tip and bright rufous head and breast plumage in summer.
Support conservation: Maintain a respectful distance using long-range optics, and never approach nesting sites or high-tide roosts.

Responsible observation

Observe from Distance: Use a high-magnification spotting scope to avoid flushing feeding or resting shorebirds.
Avoid Nest Disturbance: Stay far clear of tundra breeding territories during the short summer nesting window.
Support Flyway Conservation: Respect local tidal flat reserves along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.

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