Little Stint

1. Bird Name
The bird under review is known as the Little Stint in English. The Latin or scientific name of this species is Calidris minuta.

2. Appearance
The Little Stint is considerably small for a wading bird. Overall, the bird has a fairly uniform beige-brown plumage, although subtle differences can be observed depending on the season and the age of the bird. They have a straight thin black beak and black legs, with its chest in warmer months, displaying a soft brick red tone. Their plumage in the summer season is orangey-buff, becoming a plain gray-brown in the winter. They have distinctive white lines above and below the eyes. There is not a lot of difference in appearance between males and females; both share similar coloration and markings.

3. Size
Little Stints are precisely as their name suggests – little. On average, the length of these birds is about 13-18 cm (5-7 inches), with a wingspan measuring approximately 28-30 cm (11-12 inches). As for weight, they generally weigh around 20-25 grams.

4. Habitat & Distribution
These tiny birds breed in the Arctic tundra in northern Europe and Asia. When winter comes, they migrate south to Africa and southern Asia. In between these periods, they can also be spotted around coastal areas of Europe and the Middle East. Their preferred habitats are notably muddy estuaries and wetlands.

5. Interesting Facts
Firstly, the Little Stint has an exceptional migration routine. Despite its small size, these birds fly thousands of kilometers from the Arctic to Africa twice a year, resting and feeding on the rich mudflats of different coastal areas en route. Second, their Latin name – Calidris minuta – translates to ‘smallest sand runner’. Lastly, while feeding, they have the endearing habit of running around on the shoreline “like a wind-up toy”, according to bird-watchers.

6. Diet
The diet of the Little Stint primarily consists of invertebrates, including insects, spiders, and small crustaceans. They also feed on worms and mollusks, usually picked from the surface or shallowly probed and picked from soft mud.

7. Behavior & Sounds
Little Stints exhibit an adaptive and agile feeding behavior. They move briskly along the shoreline, picking out prey from the muddy surfaces. Their sound is a distinctive ‘prit-prit-prit’, often given when in flight.

8. Conservation Status
As of the latest evaluation, the Little Stint is categorized as being of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to their large, widespread population. However, habitat destruction remains a significant threat to this species.

9. Lifespan
The exact lifespan of the Little Stint isn’t known, but similar species can live for up to a decade. The survival rate in their first year is albeit relatively low because of their perilous migration journey.

10. Additional Notes
Locally, in some areas, the Little Stint is known as the ‘Pygmy Sandpiper’. These birds are generally shy and wary of humans, but their visit to coastal areas during migration brings joy to bird-watchers. As part of the ecosystem, these birds play a crucial role in controlling insect populations in their habitat areas.