Little Stint
Calidris minuta
A tiny wading bird – our smallest sandpiper – often scurrying quickly through mud in search of food. Its plumage is brownish-grey (with juveniles showing a subtle “brace” pattern on the back) and it blends in well with the wetland edges – usually noticed only by its busy feeding among larger waders.
- Habitat: Shallow pools and muddy edges of wetlands or shorelines
- When to See: Scarce migrant, mainly seen in autumn
- Diet / Food: Minute invertebrates picked from mud (tiny insects, larvae, etc.)
- Length: 13–15 cm