Terek Sandpiper
Terek Sandpiper is a small dumpy sandpiper with short orange legs. The long slightly up-turned bill is orange at the base. The body is brownish-grey above and on the sides of the breast, and white below. The crown appears high, with a steep forehead. The flight is strong and direct, with flickering wings and a distinct white trailing edge is visible in flight. They roost in groups on the high tide, often with other waders and then spread out to feed.
Terek Sandpiper bobs and teeters on the shore, but is larger and deeper chested. The bill is more up-turned than the bill of all other waders except the avocet. They are more common on the northern and eastern Australian coasts than in the south, but nowhere in large numbers. They breed mainly in Russia and Finland. They migrate to coastal Africa, India, the peninsula Malaysia and Australia starting July.
Terek Sandpipers prefers the coast in mangrove swamps, tidal mudflats and the seashore. They tends to show strong fidelity to one site, returning there each year. Small numbers remain in Australia over winter, mainly first year birds.
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