Justification This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Family/Sub-family Scolopacidae

Species name author (Leisler, 1812)

Taxonomic source(s) AERC TAC (2003), AOU checklist (1998 + supplements), Christidis and Boles (1994), Christidis and Boles (2008), Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

1,400,000 - 1,500,000

unset

1,740,000 km²

No

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

Ecology: Behaviour This species is a full long-distance migrant that migrates overland on a broad front¹ (or by utilising a great many routes)² across much of the Western Palearctic^{1, 2}. It is also nomadic in parts of its wintering range (e.g. southern Africa), moving as habitats flood or are overgrown⁵. Autumn movements to wintering grounds occur between July and November; the return migration occurring mid-May to early-June¹, with breeding occurring between late-June and early-July¹. Many immatures also remain in the wintering grounds all year round¹. This species is gregarious outside of the breeding season² and occurs in small groups in its winter range³, often aggregating into larger flocks to roost at high tide or at night⁵. A typical migratory flock can be as large as 20-30 individuals¹. Breeding pairs sometimes nest as close as 5 pairs/ha, but more often they are dispersed (around 10 pairs/km²)¹. Habitat Breeding During the breeding season this species inhabits low altitude tundra in the high Arctic¹ (although it exceptionally occurs above 1,000 m in the west of its range)². It shows a preference for dry ground among dwarf willows near swampy areas or saltmarshes¹, or areas where mosses and sedges are interspersed with hummocks covered by Empetrum⁴. It avoids areas where annual rainfall exceeds 250 mm¹. Non-breeding On migration this species is found along the muddy edges of small inland lakes, reservoirs, sewage farms⁴, riverbanks¹ and seasonal pools², as well as on coastal mudflats and seashores^{1, 4}. In its winter range the species mainly inhabits coastal areas such as estuarine mudflats and sandflats^{1, 5}, enclosed lagoons, tidal creeks¹ and saltpans³, but it also occurs at inland freshwater wetlands such as open pools in marshes, paddyfields, jheels (and other small bodies of water covered with vegetation)¹, small dams, floodwater margins and sandbanks along rinvers³. Diet The diet of this species consists chiefly of invertebrates^{1, 2}. Breeding During the breeding season larval and adult Diptera and small beetles are the primary foods¹, particularly the larvae of mosquitoes and craneflies⁴. Non-breeding Outside of the breeding season the diet becomes more varied, with ants, Hymenoptera, waterbugs, annelids, small molluscs, crustaceans, freshwater mites and plant material being taken as well as Diptera and beetles¹. Breeding site The nest is a shallow cup² on the ground in the open^{1, 2}, sometimes covered with vegetation¹.

Threats The species is threatened on the south-east coast of India (Point Calimere) by illegal hunting (bird trapping), reservoir and marshland habitat alteration by salt-industries, and habitat degradation by diminishing rainfall (changing the salt regime)⁶. It is threatened at Walvis Bay in Namibia, a key wetland site in southern Africa, by habitat degradation (e.g. through changes in the flood regime due to road building, and wetland reclamation for suburb and port development), and disturbance from tourism⁸. This species is also susceptible to avian malaria⁷ and avian botulism^{9, 10}, so may be threatened by future outbreaks of these diseases.

References 1. del Hoyo et al. (1996). 2. Snow and Perrins (1998). 3. Urban et al. (1986). 4. Johnsgard (1981). 5. Hockey et al. (2005). 6. Balachandran (2006). 7. Mendes et al. (2005). 8. Wearne and Underhill (2007). 9. Blaker (1967). 10. van Heerden (1974).

Further web sources of information

Detailed species account from Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status (BirdLife International 2004)

Text account compilers Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Lucy Malpas (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Calidris minuta. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 6/9/2010

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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