Justification This species is listed as Endangered as it has a very small population which is declining as a result of the development of coastal wetlands throughout its range, principally for industry, infrastructure projects and aquaculture.

Family/Sub-family Scolopacidae

Species name author (Nordmann, 1835)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 29-32 cm. Medium-sized sandpiper with slightly upturned, bicoloured bill and shortish yellow legs. Breeding adults are boldly marked, with whitish spots and spangling on blackish upperside, heavily streaked head and upper neck, broad blackish crescentic spots on lower neck and breast and darker lores. In flight, shows all-white uppertail-coverts and rather uniform greyish tail. Toes do not extend beyond tail tip. Juvenile is browner above than non-breeding adult, has whitish notching on scapular and tertial fringes, pale buff wing-covert fringes and faintly brown-washed breast with faint dark streaks at sides. Similar spp. Common Greenshank T. nebularia has longer, greener legs, longer neck, less obviously bicoloured bill, and more obviously streaked crown, nape and breast-sides. Voice Call is distinctive kwork or gwaak.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

500 - 1,000

decreasing

244,000 km²

No

Range & population Tringa guttifer breeds in eastern Russia along the south-western and northern coasts of the Sea of Okhotsk and on Sakhalin Island. Its non-breeding range is not fully understood, but significant numbers have been recorded on passage in South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong (China), and Taiwan (China), whilst wintering birds have been recorded in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia. It has also been recorded on passage or in winter in Japan, North Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (which may yet prove to be an important part of its wintering range), Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia¹. There are unconfirmed records from Nepal and Guam (to US). Recent surveys of 100 sites in Peninsular Malaysia recorded 146 individuals at four sites². It is thought to have a population of 500-1,000 individuals.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: Its breeding habitat is a combination of sparse larch Larix forest for nesting, wet coastal meadows interspersed with piles of driftwood, and coastal mudflats which are used by the adults for feeding. Wintering birds usually frequent estuaries, coastal mudflats and lowland swamps, and sometimes damp meadows, saltpans and rice-fields.

Threats The key threats are the development of coastal wetlands throughout Asia for industry, infrastructure and aquaculture, and the degradation of its breeding habitat in Russia by grazing reindeer. Pollution in coastal wetlands, hunting and human disturbance are further threats.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix I. CMS Appendix II. In Russia, protected areas have been established in northern Sakhalin, along the coasts and islands of Nabilski and in Dagi and Piltun Bays, and it is partially protected on Kamchatka in the Kronotsk Reserve and on the Moroshechnaya river. Key protected and non-hunting areas along its migration route include the Yellow River delta, Yancheng and Chongming Dongtan (China), Mai Po (Hong Kong), Ko Libong (Thailand), Peam Krasop (Cambodia), and Xuan Thuy (Vietnam).

Conservation measures proposed Conduct surveys to the south-west of Okhotsk and between the Ul'beya river and Cape Onatsevich (Russia). Research its status and conservation at potentially important wintering grounds in the Irrawaddy delta (Myanmar) and Ganges delta (Bangladesh). Establish further protected areas in its breeding grounds, at least at Konstantin Bay in Khabarovsk (Russia), as well as important sites in the winter range. Draft management plans for coastal wetlands to promote their conservation. Ban the hunting of all shorebirds in its breeding grounds. Provide full legal protection throughout the range.

References BirdLife International (2001). 1. Boyle, A. in litt (2006). 2. Li et al. (2007)

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Simba Chan (Wild Bird Society of Japan), James Gilroy (BirdLife International), Nic Peet (BirdLife International), John Pilgrim (BirdLife International)

Contributors A. Boyle, Zuo Wei David Li (Wetlands International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), James Gilroy (BirdLife International), John Pilgrim (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Tringa guttifer. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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