Common name: Curlew Sandpiper
Scientific name: Calidris ferruginea
Family: Scolopacidae

Size:
Body length: 18–22 cm
Wingspan: 38–41 cm
Weight: 40–80 g

Identification:
A medium-sized wader with a slender, slightly down-curved bill and relatively long legs. In breeding plumage, it shows rich reddish-brown underparts with darker upperparts. In non-breeding plumage, it becomes pale grey above and white below. In flight, it displays a white rump and a narrow white wing stripe. Often appears elegant and elongated compared to other small sandpipers.

Habitat:
Coastal wetlands, estuaries, tidal mudflats, lagoons, and shallow inland wetlands. Prefers areas with soft mud for feeding.

Status in the UAE:
Common passage migrant and winter visitor. Regularly recorded along coastal mudflats and wetlands.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on small invertebrates such as worms, crustaceans, and insect larvae, probing mud and sand with its bill.

Behavior:
Often seen in flocks, frequently mixed with other waders. Feeds actively by probing and picking in soft mud. Highly migratory, undertaking long-distance flights between Arctic breeding grounds and southern wintering areas. Flight is fast and coordinated in flocks.

Conservation status:
Near Threatened (IUCN Red List)