Breeding plumaged Red-necked Stints, Hong Kong
By Charlie • August 10, 2008 • 5 comments
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
Mai Po, Hong Kong, April 2008
The Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis breeds in north-eastern Siberia and northern and western Alaska. The vast majority then follow the the East Asian-Australasian Flyway to spend the southern summer months in non-breeding areas in South-East Asia and Australasia south of about 25° S. As many US birders have found recently they are though being increasingly identified along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, usually amongst flocks of other ‘peeps’.
Red-necked Stints are omnivorous, taking seeds, insects, small vertebrates, plants in saltmarshes, molluscs, gastopods and crustaceans. They forage on intertidal and near-coastal wetlands, picking constantly and rapidly at the muddy surface then dashing to another spot.
These birds were photographed at the world-famous Mai Po wetlands (part of Deep Bay) on Hong Kong’s west coast, an important regional staging area for many migrating shorebirds.
Red-necked Stints in April are quite variable in terms of the depth of red on the head, but the unmarked orange/rufous tones always contrast strongly with the white underparts and spotted breast-sides.
Red-necked Stints are about the same size as Semipalmated Sandpipers Calidris pusilla (and on average a little larger than Little Stints C. minuta). They are slim birds, with unwebbed toes. The short bill is quite fine and slightly curved along its length.
Red-necked Stints have a notably long primary projection (ie the primary tips extend well beyond the tertials) unlike eg Western Sandpiper C. mauri or Little Stint.
Note the short tibia and dark legs. Feeding birds usually appear ‘well-balanced’ with an even weight distribution and a near-horizontal posture.
Note that mud sticking to the end of the bill could cause confusion with Spoon-billed Sandpiper (especially at known locales like Mai Po when birders are desperately hoping to find a Spoonie!)
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Fantastic post! The pictures are excellent.
Louise, you comment about my photos more than anyone else and I just want you to know that I’m very grateful. It’s lovely to have someone regularly appreciate what you’re trying to do! Thanks…
I wonder what the reaction would be if that many stints showed up at Jamaica Bay?
I think half of New York’s birders would have heart attacks…
Charlie:
I am really impressed by the close-ups you’ve gotten of those birds. Do you spend half your life in a blind?
Jack
Hi Jack. Thanks for your comments - but to be honest the close-ups are more to do with Photoshop, a good lens, and the superb position of the new hide at Mai Po than my patience (or even skill): I was only in the blind for one cycle of high-tide - but it’s positioned in such a fantastic way that you could get close-ups with a disposable camera!