The Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) is an elegant, long-legged wader with a long bill that curves evenly downward. In breeding plumage the entire underside glows brick-red while the upperparts are mottled black, rust-brown and white, one of the most vividly coloured plumages among the small waders, but the surest field mark in any plumage is the bright white rump visible in flight, which readily separates it from the very similar Dunlin. Winter birds are plain pale grey above and white below, and juveniles show a neat scaly pattern with a faint buff wash. Measuring 18-23 cm with a wingspan of 38-41 cm, the species has long black legs to match its long, curved black bill.
Its flight call is a soft, ringing, rolling "chirrip" or "prriit". The Curlew Sandpiper does not breed in Sweden; it nests on the tundra of northern Siberia, where breeding success is closely tied to the local lemming cycle, since predators switch to hunting bird nests in years when lemmings are scarce. In Sweden it occurs only as a passage migrant, in smaller numbers during the May spring passage and in larger numbers, dominated by juveniles, during the July-September autumn passage, when it is best looked for at mudflats and sandy beaches along the west and south coasts, with Getterön, Ottenby and Falsterbo among the classic sites. It feeds on insects, insect larvae, small crustaceans, snails and worms picked from shallow water and mud, its long curved bill allowing it to probe deeper into soft mud than most small waders can manage. The species has been globally classed as Vulnerable since 2024, reflecting a significant population decline.
Read about this species in Swedish →