Spoon-billed Sandpiper

'''Habitat:''' Asia; it has a limited breeding range on the Chukotsk peninsula and southwards up to the isthmus of the Kamchatka peninsula, in north-eastern Russia. It migrates down the western Pacific coast through Russia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan (China), to its main wintering grounds in Bangladesh and Myanmar. Wintering birds have also been recorded from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Found almost exclusively at sea-coasts where there are sandy ridges sparsely vegetated by mosses, dwarf willows and grasses, interspersed with or neighboring to salt marshes and brackish ponds.

'''Habitat:''' Asia; it has a limited breeding range on the Chukotsk peninsula and southwards up to the isthmus of the Kamchatka peninsula, in north-eastern Russia. It migrates down the western Pacific coast through Russia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan (China), to its main wintering grounds in Bangladesh and Myanmar. Wintering birds have also been recorded from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Found almost exclusively at sea-coasts where there are sandy ridges sparsely vegetated by mosses, dwarf willows and grasses, interspersed with or neighboring to salt marshes and brackish ponds.

Throughout its migratory and wintering ranges, tidal flats are being reclaimed for industry, infrastructure and aquaculture and are becoming increasingly polluted. The important staging area at Saemangeum and Geum estuary, South Korea, including the Mangyeung and Tongjin estuaries, has already been reclaimed, and remaining wetlands are under serious threat of reclamation in the near future. Although not specifically targeted, it is regularly caught in nets set to catch other waders for food in the key wintering areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar. There are no immediate threats to the breeding grounds, but nests are sometimes destroyed by dogs. Human disturbance, both by residents and researchers, may cause increased levels of nest desertion and predation by foxes and skuas. Shorebirds, including this species, are also occasionally killed by children with slingshots; one male was also shot by a Russian hunter near the Chinese border in 2008. Small but significant numbers of birds and their eggs have been collected for scientific purposes in the last 20 years, with one small colony completely wiped out due to this activity. Climate change and associated habitat shifts are expected to impact negatively on this species and others dependent on tundra habitat for breeding. Modeling indicates that 57% of the breeding habitat for this species could be lost by 2070.

Throughout its migratory and wintering ranges, tidal flats are being reclaimed for industry, infrastructure and aquaculture and are becoming increasingly polluted. The important staging area at Saemangeum and Geum estuary, South Korea, including the Mangyeung and Tongjin estuaries, has already been reclaimed, and remaining wetlands are under serious threat of reclamation in the near future. Although not specifically targeted, it is regularly caught in nets set to catch other waders for food in the key wintering areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar. There are no immediate threats to the breeding grounds, but nests are sometimes destroyed by dogs. Human disturbance, both by residents and researchers, may cause increased levels of nest desertion and predation by foxes and skuas. Shorebirds, including this species, are also occasionally killed by children with slingshots; one male was also shot by a Russian hunter near the Chinese border in 2008. Small but significant numbers of birds and their eggs have been collected for scientific purposes in the last 20 years, with one small colony completely wiped out due to this activity. Climate change and associated habitat shifts are expected to impact negatively on this species and others dependent on tundra habitat for breeding. Modeling indicates that 57% of the breeding habitat for this species could be lost by 2070.

Spoon-billed Sandpipers are very territorial; the male's display flight includes hovering, circling and diving, and uttering a buzzing trill.

Spoon-billed Sandpipers are very territorial; the male's display flight includes hovering, circling and diving, and uttering a buzzing trill.