Small distinctive curlew. Ages and sexes very similar. Pale buffy-brownish head with a dark crown and a broad diffuse whitish supercilium, large dark eye with smudgy dark brown lores. Dark bill with mostly pinkish lower mandible is much shorter and shows less curvature than the bills of other curlews. Underparts are pale buffy-whitish on the foreneck with breast transitioning to white on belly and undertail. Neck shows extensive narrow brown streaking with limited short streaks and dashes on the breast and upper flanks. Back, scapular, and wing covert feathers show dark centers with buffy edges. Buffy edges to greater coverts and tertials form hash marks creating a strong pattern. Pale buffy-brownish tail with dark barring. Pinkish-gray legs. In flight, underwings look mostly dark; slightly paler wing linings due to buff margins on underwing coverts. Upland Sandpiper, which is similar in size and plumage, has a shorter, straight bill and is paler above.

Length: 30 (cm) Wingspan: 70 (cm)

Habitat:

Wetlands, dry, wet or flooded fields, pastures, shallow water and occasionally beaches or open dry mudflats.

Behavior:

Forages by picking at the ground or water to grab prey. Sometimes form large flocks.

Feeding:

Diet consists mainly of insects, spiders and crustaceans; occasionally plant material, seeds and berries.