Photo: Ken Billington / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Little Stint

Calidris minuta

Little Stint (Calidris minuta) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador

By family

Sandpipers & Allies of New South Wales Sandpipers & Allies of Northern Territory Sandpipers & Allies of Queensland Sandpipers & Allies of South Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Victoria Sandpipers & Allies of Western Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Alberta Sandpipers & Allies of British Columbia Sandpipers & Allies of New Brunswick Sandpipers & Allies of Newfoundland and Labrador

See what's near you right now

The Little Stint (Calidris minuta) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 21.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
Genus Calidris
Species minuta

Where it lives

High to low Arctic drier tundra of northern Palearctic: far northern Scandinavia, White Sea coast, southern Novaya Zemlya, through northern Russia to New Siberian Is. (east-central Siberia)

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 21.1 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Little Stint hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Little Stint is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Little Stint (Calidris minuta) belongs to the Scolopacidae family of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL high to low Arctic drier tundra of n Palearctic: far n Scandinavia, White Sea coast, s Novaya Zemlya, through n Russia to New Siberian Is. (ec Siberia).

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.1 g, with a wing length of about 9.3 cm and a tail of around 3.6 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Little Stint — Flight call

Recorded by David Darrell-Lambert Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Little Stint?

The Little Stint is a small bird that weighs around 21.1 g.

Where does the Little Stint live?

The Little Stint is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL high to low Arctic drier tundra of n Palearctic: far n Scandinavia, White Sea coast, s Novaya Zemlya, through n Russia to New Siberian Is. (ec Siberia), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Little Stint belong to?

The Little Stint (Calidris minuta) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Little Stint eat?

The Little Stint hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Little Stint migrate?

The Little Stint is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Little Stint endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Little Stint make?

1 real field recording of the Little Stint — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Little Stint's range?

The Little Stint has a mapped global range of about 1.7 million km².