Red-necked Stint

Numerous migrant and non-breeding visitor.

Long-bodied, black-legged stint most numerous on intertidal mudflats. Appears large-headed and neckless, has a flat back profile and a long rear-end; a horizontal posture and relatively short legs. In flight, from above, thin mid-wingbar, dark central rump and tail, and grey outer tail feathers. From below, white underwing coverts; leading edge not conspicuously dark. Ad B: (Mar – Sep) Streaked crown, nape, ear coverts, throat and breast brick pink-rufous; lores darker; forehead, chin and supercilium variably whiter. Necklace of dark streaks along lower edge of breast; belly, flanks and vent white with some blackish shaft streaks on rear flanks and vent. Mantle may show indistinct cream line along edge; scapulars, variable number of tertials, and occasionally inner greater coverts have dark centres and rufous edges; remainder of wing coverts have darkish centres and indistinctly paler brownish edges. Ad Nb: (Sep – Feb) Crown, nape and ear coverts pale grey streaked darker; lores darker; supercilium, eyering, chin and throat whiter. Breast, especially sides, has variable grey streaks; belly, flanks and vent white, sometimes with darker shaft streaks on flanks and vent. Mantle, scapulars, coverts and tertials pale grey with darker shaft streak and whitish edges when fresh. Juv: (Sep-Oct) Central crown streaked brown, becoming gradually paler toward edge of crown; nape and ear coverts pale brown; lores darker and supercilium whiter. Chin and throat white; breast indistinctly streaked at sides, unstreaked with cream or grey wash in centre. Belly, flanks and vent unstreaked white. Upper scapulars have dark centres and variably ginger – chestnut edges and white tips; lower scapulars, tertials and wing coverts plain grey-brown with dark shaft streaks and indistinctly paler edges.

Little Stint is very similar; for differences, see that species. Sanderling is larger, stockier, with longer, thicker bill and darker area at the carpal joint. From other small Calidrids by black legs and short, straight bill.

Feeds by walking and continuously pecking from the surface or just beneath it; rarely plunges bill deep into mud. Sometimes aggressive toward other stints and Sanderling. Roosts in large flocks.

Favours muddy over sandy substrates, and intertidal over freshwater habitats. Occurs in small to large numbers along most of the Malaysian coastline.

Most frequently seen from early August to mid-May.