L 13½-15 cm. Breeds on bogs, marshes or river deltas in upland taiga or on tundra and fells; also in coastal habitats. Winters mainly Africa. On passage (mostly May and Aug) frequents pools and marshes, lakesides or rivers; in Britain & Ireland, much less common than Little Stint, but just as likely to occur in spring as in autumn. Nest is lined scrape in open or in low vegetation, often willow scrub, in damp area.
IDENTIFICATION: Same size as Little Stint, but slightly longer-bodied (tail projects slightly beyond wing-tips) and shorter-legged, with finer, slightly decurved bill. Unobtrusive, unlike Little Stint, typically choosing thinly vegetated rather than open sections of mudflats; also, usually feeds with distinctive creeping action on flexed legs and with slower pecking rate. Unlike Little Stint, flies off high on erratic course, continuously giving distinctive trilling call. Outer tail-feathers all white (grey on Little). Legs pale (yellowish, greenish or brownish). In winter and juvenile plumages recalls a miniature Common Sandpiper because of shape, rather plain brownish upperparts, and well-marked breast. Beware that winter Little Stint frequently misidentified as Temminck’s, especially one with sleek plumage, thus looking slimmer and longer-bodied than usual, with mud-coated (thus palelooking) legs, and in bright sun (when outer tail-feathers can look white in flight); Temminck’s, however, has brownish upperparts (pale grey with dark feather centres on Little), rather plain brownish head (strong supercilium and whitish face on Little), clear-cut brownish breast (pale grey on Little) and shorter legs. - Adult summer: Variable number of black-centred, rufousedged feathers on upperparts, mainly among scapulars and on mantle, at distance giving distinctive spotted effect. - Adult winter: Plain, dull greybrown upperparts and breast contrasting with pure white underparts. - Juvenile: At close range, pale fringes and dark subterminal line on scapulars and wing-coverts; upper scapulars contrastingly dark-centred.
VOICE: Flight-call when flushed distinctive, a loud, dry trilling, usually repeated ‘tirrr-tirr-tirr…’. In display-flight, male hovers giving continuous cricket-like reel, ‘tititititititi…’.
