Curlew Sandpiper

A small, slender shorebird measuring around 18-23 centimetres, the Curlew Sandpiper is distinguished by its long, downcurved bill and, in breeding plumage, a rich brick-red underside that fades to a pale grey-and-white pattern outside the breeding season. It forages by probing rapidly in soft mud and shallow water for invertebrates such as insects, molluscs, and crustaceans, often in mixed flocks with other waders. As a migratory species, it plays a role in nutrient cycling across the wetland ecosystems it depends on during breeding, staging, and wintering.

The species breeds in the Arctic tundra of Siberia and undertakes long-distance migrations, wintering across an extensive range including coastal Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Australia. It relies on freshwater and marine wetlands, intertidal mudflats, estuaries, and coastal lagoons as stopover and wintering habitat, with grasslands and rocky shorelines used opportunistically.

Its decline is driven by loss and degradation of coastal wetlands from urban and aquaculture development, disruption from roads and recreational disturbance, and altered hydrology due to dams and water management. Hunting and trapping pressure persists along parts of its flyway, while invasive species affect breeding and staging grounds. Climate-driven habitat shifts and increased storm and flooding events further threaten key stopover sites.

Conservation efforts include protection of critical wetland sites under international agreements such as the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, habitat restoration projects at key staging areas, and monitoring programs tracking population trends across its range. Some countries have implemented hunting regulations and site-based protections.

The population trend remains decreasing, with continued pressure on critical stopover and wintering habitats. Without sustained international cooperation to protect flyway sites, the species' long-term outlook remains uncertain.