Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence under 20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size may be moderately small to large, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The global population size is estimated at 25,000-25,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2023), which equates to 16,700-16,700 mature individuals. The overall population trend is suspected to be decreasing over three generations (12.57 years) (Wetlands International 2023).
Trend justification
.
Behaviour This species is strongly migratory and travels largely overland on a broad front between its breeding and wintering grounds (del Hoyo et al. 1996). It breeds from early-June to July in solitary pairs, usually well-dispersed but sometimes very close together within wetlands (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The departure from the breeding grounds starts in July and peaks between August and September, with the return northward migration peaking between April and May (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is only mildly gregarious outside of the breeding season and usually forages singly or in small groups (del Hoyo et al. 1996) of 3-7 individuals although it rarely also occurs in flocks of between 15 and 50 individuals (Johnsgard 1981). Habitat Breeding The species breeds near pools (Johnsgard 1981) on open, grassy bogs or swamps (Johnsgard 1981, Flint et al. 1984, del Hoyo et al. 1996) or on mountain tundra (Flint et al. 1984) in boreal forest (taiga) (Johnsgard 1981, del Hoyo et al. 1996), showing a preference for areas with mosses, sedges and dwarf willows Salix spp. for nesting (Johnsgard 1981). Non-breeding Outside of the breeding season the species occupies shallow inland wetlands (Johnsgard 1981, Higgins and Davies 1996, del Hoyo et al. 1996) and although it shows no preference over fresh, brackish or saline waters it does require habitats with soft, muddy shorelines and short grass (Johnsgard 1981, Higgins and Davies 1996), sedges, floating aquatic vegetation, reeds and rushes (Higgins and Davies 1996). Suitable habitats include the edges of permanent and temporary lakes (Johnsgard 1981, Higgins and Davies 1996), ponds, reservoirs (Higgins and Davies 1996), lagoons, swamps (Johnsgard 1981, Higgins and Davies 1996) and streams, river flood-plains (Higgins and Davies 1996), marshes (Johnsgard 1981), rice-fields (del Hoyo et al. 1996), sewage ponds, saltpans (Higgins and Davies 1996, del Hoyo et al. 1996) and saltmarshes (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species also less frequently occurs around tidal estuaries (Higgins and Davies 1996) on intertidal mudflats (Johnsgard 1981, del Hoyo et al. 1996). Diet Its diet includes insects (e.g. carabid beetles), small gastropod molluscs, crustaceans (del Hoyo et al. 1996) amphibians (Johnsgard 1981) and seeds (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Breeding site The nest is a shallow depression (del Hoyo et al. 1996) on a hummock of sedge (Flint et al. 1984) well-hidden (del Hoyo et al. 1996) in areas with mosses, sedges and dwarf willows Salix spp. near pools (Johnsgard 1981) on open, grassy bogs or swamps (Johnsgard 1981, Flint et al. 1984, del Hoyo et al. 1996) or on mountain tundra (Flint et al. 1984) in boreal forest (taiga) (Johnsgard 1981, del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species shows a high degree of nest site fidelity (del Hoyo et al. 1996).
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/long-toed-stint-calidris-subminuta on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.