Sandpipers & Snipes

Sandpipers are the largest shorebird family in Malaysia and are subdivided into six subfamilies: Curlews & Whimbrels; Godwits & Dowitchers; Small Sandpipers & Turnstone; Woodcock & Snipes; Phalaropes; and Large Sandpipers. Characterised by a diversity of bill shapes and lengths and are generally associated with mud and other soft substrates.

  • Asian Dowitcher

    Similar in size to Black-tailed Godwit, with black legs intermediate in length between Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits. Bill largely black, straight and slightly blob-tipped.

  • Bar-tailed Godwit

    Large, streak-backed shorebird with very long, pink-based, slightly upturned bill and relatively short black legs.

  • Black-tailed Godwit

    Small, neat, long-legged godwit with long, straight, blob-tipped, pink-based bill.

  • Broad-billed Sandpiper

    Small, short-legged, stint-like sandpiper with longish, thick bill which droops at the tip. Bold head pattern in all plumages.

  • Common Greenshank

    Elegant white and grey/brown sandpiper with medium-length, slightly upcurved bill and long green-yellow legs. In flight, toes project beyond tail. From above, plain darkish wings and scapulars contrast with white back and rump and whitish, barred tail. From below, wing coverts well-barred.

  • Common Redshank

    Brown and white sandpiper with long red legs and basal half of bill. In flight, from above, white back, rump, barred tail and broad white trailing edge to inner wing. From below, underwing coverts unmarked white.

  • Common Sandpiper

    Short-legged, long-tailed shorebird with mid-length, straight bill. Distinctive white ‘spur’ at the wing shoulder. Near-constant bobbing of rear end and stiff-winged flight characteristic.

  • Common Snipe

    Cryptically patterned, long-billed snipe with prominent white trailing wing edge in flight.

  • Curlew Sandpiper

    Small, elegant sandpiper with finely tapered, decurved bill (longer than head) and longish black legs.

  • Dunlin

  • Eurasian Curlew

    Very large, mid-brown shorebird with very long, downcurved bill. In flight, white rump and back and unmarked white underwing coverts are diagnostic

  • Eurasian Woodcock

  • Far Eastern Curlew

    Very large, brown shorebird with very long, downcurved bill.

  • Great Knot

    Medium-sized, stocky shorebird with tapered and slightly decurved bill, usually longer than head, and shortish olive-green legs.

  • Green Sandpiper

  • Grey-tailed Tattler

    Medium-sized, long-bodied shorebird; grey above, with short yellow legs and medium length, straight or slightly decurved bill. In flight, uniform grey above; legs do not project beyond tail. Below, dark grey underwing and whitish belly.

  • Little Stint

    Plump, small-headed, fine-billed, relatively long-legged stint.

  • Little Whimbrel

  • Long-billed Dowitcher

  • Long-toed Stint

    Brown, yellow-legged stint with heavily streaked breast.

  • Marsh Sandpiper

    Delicate, elegant sandpiper with long yellowish legs and needle-like bill. White supercilium and darker cap evident in most plumages. In flight, entire foot projects beyond tail and underwing coverts are mostly white.

  • Nordmann’s Greenshank

    Chunky greenshank with thick, slightly upcurved bill with relatively short, yellow legs. Often appears strikingly pale. In flight, toes barely project beyond tail; tail often appears white, and underwing coverts are pure white and unbarred.

  • Pectoral Sandpiper

  • Pin-tailed Snipe

    Cryptically plumaged, chunky, short-tailed snipe lacking white trailing edge to wing; has 24-28 tail feathers; the outer 6-8 pairs are very narrow ‘pins’.

  • Red Knot

    Medium-sized, stocky shorebird with short, straight bill and short, olive-coloured legs.

  • Red Phalarope

  • Red-necked Phalarope

    Stint-sized, squat shorebird with short pale blue legs, lobed toes and needle-like black bill.

  • Red-necked Stint

    Long-bodied, black-legged stint most numerous on intertidal mudflats.

  • Ruddy Turnstone

    Small, stocky shorebird with dark breastband, short orange legs and unique wedge-shaped bill.

  • Ruff

    Medium-sized shorebird with short, slightly decurved bill, small head and medium length olive to orange-coloured legs.

  • Sanderling

    A chunky, stint-like shorebird with black legs, large head and no hind toes.

  • Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

  • Spoon-billed Sandpiper

  • Spotted Redshank

  • Swinhoe’s Snipe

  • Temminck’s Stint

    Featureless grey, long-bodied stint with yellow legs.

  • Terek Sandpiper

    A robust, grey-and-white shorebird with long upcurved, orange-based bill and short, bright orange legs.

  • Whimbrel

    Large, dark brown, heavily streaked shorebird with strongly downcurved bill and grey or greyish-blue legs.

  • Wood Sandpiper

    Elegant sandpiper with long yellowish legs and medium length, straight bill. Upperparts dark brown, spangled with white spots. In flight, above, wings and back dark; square white rump and barred tail. Below, underwing coverts are finely barred. Feet project beyond tail in flight.