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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Scolopacidae
  4. ›
  5. Calidris
  6. ›
  7. Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Photo · (c) pimelea, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea(Pontoppidan, 1763)

Updated 21 March 2026

Conservation status: Critically EndangeredOrigin: Native
Order
CHARADRIIFORMES
Family
Scolopacidae
Genus
Calidris

At a glance

The Curlew Sandpiper is a medium-sized bird, about 18–23 cm long, listed as Critically Endangered and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
18–23 cm
Conservation status
Critically Endangered
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Rare
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Curlew Sandpiper look like?

The Curlew Sandpiper is a medium-sized bird, about 18–23 cm long.

The curlew sandpiper is a small migratory wader. It is a long-distance migrant, breeding in the bogs and coastal lowlands of the Siberian Arctic, arriving there in June and staying to August or September. After breeding season, it migrates south throughout Europe and Asia to spend the winter, mainly in Africa but also along the coasts of Australasia and Southeast Asia; occupying tidal mudflats and saltpans.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
18–23 cm
Wingspan
38 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Curlew Sandpiper?

The Curlew Sandpiper is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Curlew Sandpiper eat?

The Curlew Sandpiper feeds on seeds, intertidal invertebrates and fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Curlew Sandpiper live in Australia?

The Curlew Sandpiper is native to Australia, recorded across 78 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning drier low Arctic tundra of north-central and north-east Palearctic.

BreedingDrier low Arctic tundra of north-central and north-east Palearctic: north-west Siberia from Yamal Pen. to north-west Chukotskiy Pen. (north-east Siberia), and New Siberian Is. (north of north-central Siberia)

Non-breedingAF, OR, AU : inland and coastal wetlands of Paleotropics: south Europe, Cape Verde Is. (south Macaronesia, west of west Africa), Africa, Malagasy region, through south and south-east Asia, Indonesian Arch., south-east China, Taiwan, Philippines, south New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania, Bismarck Arch., north Solomon Is., New Caledonia and north New Zealand; prone to extreme vagrancy

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Breeding

8 regions recorded