The sharp-tailed sandpiper (''Calidris acuminata'') (but see below) is a small wader.

Taxonomy

A review of data has indicated that this bird should perhaps better be placed into the genus ''Philomachus'' – as ''P. acuminatus'' – which now contains only the

ruff Ruff may refer to: Places *Ruff, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community *Ruff, Washington, United States, an unincorporated community Other uses *Ruff (bird) (''Calidris pugnax'' or ''Philomachus pugnax''), a bird in the wader fami ...

but if the sharp-tailed sandpiper is merged into it would need to accommodate the broad-billed sandpiper. While the latter is a peculiar calidrid, the sharp-tailed sandpiper is much more similar to other ''Calidris''/''Erolia'' species such as the pectoral sandpiper. On the one hand, its larger size and long-legged stance, and the breast pattern which gradually fades away on the belly as in the ruff instead of having a fairly sharp border as in the ''Calidris''/''Erolia'' stints indicate that placement in ''Philomachus'' may be correct. Still, it is just as possible that – given the fairly common instances of hybridization in calidrines –

mitochondrial DNA Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA or mDNA) is the DNA located in mitochondria, cellular organelles within eukaryotic cells that convert chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial D ...

data has given a false picture of this species' true affinities. The curlew sandpiper, which is a proposed parent of the hybrid called " Cooper's sandpiper" (''"Calidris"'' × ''cooperi'') together with the sharp-tailed sandpiper, is another unusual calidrid that is hard to place systematically. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''acuminata'' is from Latin ''acuminatus'', "to sharpen".

Distribution and habitat

It breeds in the boggy tundra of northeast Asia and is strongly migratory, wintering in south east Asia and Australasia. It occurs as a rare autumn migrant to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, but in western Europe only as a very rare vagrant. There is a single documented record from South America.

Description

Measurements: * Size: 22 cm * Weight: 39-114 g * Wingspan: 36–43 cm Breeding adults are a rich brown with darker feather centres above, and white underneath apart from a buff breast. They have a light superciliary line above the eye and a chestnut crown. In winter, sharp-tailed sandpipers are grey above. The juveniles are brightly patterned above with rufous colouration and white mantle stripes. This bird looks a lot like the pectoral sandpiper, within whose Asian range it breeds. It differs from that species in its breast pattern, stronger

supercilium The supercilium is a plumage feature found on the heads of some bird species. It is a stripe which runs from the base of the bird's beak above its eye, finishing somewhere towards the rear of the bird's head.Dunn and Alderfer (2006), p. 10 Also ...

and more rufous crown. It has some similarities to the long-toed stint, but is much larger than the stint.

Behaviour

Breeding

Little is known of the breeding habits of this species, although it nests on the ground, and the male has a display flight.

Feeding

These birds forage on grasslands and mudflats, like the pectoral sandpiper, picking up food by sight, sometimes by probing. They mainly eat insects and other invertebrates.

References

External links

Oiseaux
Photos {{Taxonbar, from=Q753760 sharp-tailed sandpiper Wading birds Birds of North Asia sharp-tailed sandpiper Taxa named by Thomas Horsfield