Calidris acuminata

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Ordo: Charadriiformes
Subordo: Charadrii

Familia: Scolopacidae
Genus: Calidris
Species: Calidris acuminata
Name

Calidris acuminata (Horsfield, 1821)
Synonyms

Totanus acuminatus (protonym)
Erolia acuminata

References

Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 13: 192.

Vernacular names
brezhoneg: Sourouc'han lost begek
čeština: Jespák klínoocasý
English: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Esperanto: Pintvosta kalidro
suomi: Suippopyrstösirri
français: Bécasseau à queue pointue
magyar: Hegyesfarkú partfutó
日本語: ウズラシギ
한국어: 메추라기도요
Bahasa Melayu: Burung Kedidi Ekor Tajam
norsk: Spisshalesnipe
polski: Biegus ostrosterny
svenska: Spetsstjärtad snäppa
中文: 尖尾滨鹬

The sharp-tailed sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) (but see below) is a small wader.

Taxonomy

A review of data has indicated that this bird should perhaps better be placed into the genus Philomachus – as P. acuminatus – which now contains only the ruff but if the sharp-tailed sandpiper is merged into it would need to accommodate the broad-billed sandpiper.[2]

While the latter is a peculiar calidrid, the sharp-tailed sandpiper is much more similar to other Calidris/Erolia species such as the pectoral sandpiper. On the one hand, its larger size and long-legged stance, and the breast pattern which gradually fades away on the belly as in the ruff instead of having a fairly sharp border as in the Calidris/Erolia stints indicate that placement in Philomachus may be correct. Still, it is just as possible that – given the fairly common instances of hybridization in calidrines – mitochondrial DNA data has given a false picture of this species' true affinities. The curlew sandpiper, which is a proposed parent of the hybrid called "Cooper's sandpiper" ("Calidris" × cooperi) together with the sharp-tailed sandpiper, is another unusual calidrid that is hard to place systematically.

The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific acuminata is from Latin acuminatus, "to sharpen".[3]
Distribution and habitat

It breeds in the boggy tundra of northeast Asia and is strongly migratory, wintering in south east Asia and Australasia. It occurs as a rare autumn migrant to North America, but in western Europe only as a very rare vagrant. There is a single documented record from South America.[4]
Description

Measurements:[5]

Size: 22 cm
Weight: 39-114 g
Wingspan: 36–43 cm

Breeding adults are a rich brown with darker feather centres above, and white underneath apart from a buff breast. They have a light superciliary line above the eye and a chestnut crown. In winter, sharp-tailed sandpipers are grey above. The juveniles are brightly patterned above with rufous colouration and white mantle stripes.

This bird looks a lot like the pectoral sandpiper, within whose Asian range it breeds. It differs from that species in its breast pattern, stronger supercilium and more rufous crown. It has some similarities to the long-toed stint, but is much larger than the stint.
Behaviour
Breeding

Little is known of the breeding habits of this species, although it nests on the ground, and the male has a display flight.
Feeding

These birds forage on grasslands and mudflats, like the pectoral sandpiper, picking up food by sight, sometimes by probing. They mainly eat insects and other invertebrates.
References

BirdLife International (2022). "Calidris acuminata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T22693414A152588591. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-3.RLTS.T22693414A152588591.en. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
Thomas, GH; Wills, MA; Székely, T (August 2004). "A supertree approach to shorebird phylogeny". BMC Evol. Biol. 4: 28. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-4-28. PMC 515296. PMID 15329156. Supplementary Material
Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 31, 84. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
Knowlton, Will H. (2016). "Sharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminata in Bolivia: first documented record for South America". Cotinga. 38: 20–22.
Oiseaux.net. "Bécasseau à queue pointue - Calidris acuminata - Sharp-tailed Sandpiper". www.oiseaux.net. Retrieved 2020-09-30.