Scientific name: Calidris alba (Pallas, 1764)
Bird group: Waders
Field characters. 20 cm. Head and upper-parts rufous with black streaks and bars, chest is rufous with dusky spots; rest of underparts pure white. Winter adult is much whiter than other small waders, with uniform pale grey crown, neck and upper-parts and pure white face and underparts; only distinct mark is a blackish shoulder patch. Winter adult can be confused with smaller Little Stint (see that species) and Grey Phalarope, but behaves differently and lacks black eye-patch. Juvenile has buffish-grey head and chest, sparsely streaked with black; upperparts black and grey in scaled pattern; rest of underparts pure white. At all ages, long black legs and a short black bill. In flight, shows conspicuous long white wing-bar on dark wing. Has a characteristic foraging behaviour: generally very active, dashing along the tide edge with tail and head held high, rushing after receding waves in quest of prey.
Voice. Generally silent; in flight, a soft "chwick-chwick".
Distribution. Very rare breeding bird; fairly common passage migrant and winter visitor.
Habitat. Breeds on high-arctic coastal tundra; in wintering area, feeds on sandy beaches. During migration only exceptionally near freshwater bodies.
Food. Feeds during short, fast runs, interspersed with pauses for probing. Diet consists of small invertebrates, such as crustaceans and small molluscs; in breeding season takes insects and their larvae, spiders and plant material, such as buds, shoots, seeds, algae, and mosses.