Calidris minuta -- (Leisler, 1812) ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- CHARADRIIFORMES -- SCOLOPACIDAE Common names: Little Stint; Bécasseau minute European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Van den Bossche, W., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe. The species occurs in the EU27 only in winter, however it is considered Least Concern there based on available winter population data. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Albania; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Latvia; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom Vagrant: Faroe Islands (to DK); Iceland; Liechtenstein; Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO); Gibraltar (to UK) Population The European population is estimated at 48,200-76,000 pairs, which equates to 96,400-152,000 mature individuals. The species occurs in the EU27 mainly in winter and the minimum population is estimated at 14,100-28,400 individuals, which equates to 9,400-18,900 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF . Trend In Europe the population size is estimated to be stable. In the EU27 in winter the population size is estimated to be decreasing by less than 25% in 20.4 years (three generations). For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF . Habitats and Ecology This species is a full long-distance migrant that migrates overland on a broad front (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) (or by utilising a great many routes) (Snow and Perrins 1998) across much of the Western Palearctic (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). During the breeding season this species inhabits low altitude tundra in the high Arctic (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) (although it exceptionally occurs above 1,000 m in the west of its range) (Snow and Perrins 1998). It shows a preference for dry ground among dwarf
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Calidris minuta -- (Leisler, 1812)ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- CHARADRIIFORMES -- SCOLOPACIDAECommon names: Little Stint; Bécasseau minute
European Red List AssessmentEuropean Red List Status
LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1)
Assessment InformationYear published: 2015Date assessed: 2015-03-31Assessor(s): BirdLife InternationalReviewer(s): Symes, A.Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Van den Bossche, W., Wheatley, H. &
Wright, L.Assessment RationaleEuropean regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe.
The species occurs in the EU27 only in winter, however it is considered Least Concern there based on available winter population data.
OccurrenceCountries/Territories of OccurrenceNative:Albania; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Latvia; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United KingdomVagrant:Faroe Islands (to DK); Iceland; Liechtenstein; Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO); Gibraltar (to UK)
PopulationThe European population is estimated at 48,200-76,000 pairs, which equates to 96,400-152,000 mature individuals. The species occurs in the EU27 mainly in winter and the minimum population is estimated at 14,100-28,400 individuals, which equates to 9,400-18,900 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF.
TrendIn Europe the population size is estimated to be stable. In the EU27 in winter the population size is estimated to be decreasing by less than 25% in 20.4 years (three generations). For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF.
Habitats and EcologyThis species is a full long-distance migrant that migrates overland on a broad front (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) (or by utilising a great many routes) (Snow and Perrins 1998) across much of the Western Palearctic (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). During the breeding season this species inhabits low altitude tundra in the high Arctic (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) (although it exceptionally occurs above 1,000 m in the west of its range) (Snow and Perrins 1998). It shows a preference for dry ground among dwarf
willows near swampy areas or saltmarshes (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996), or areas where mosses and sedges are interspersed with hummocks covered by Empetrum (Johnsgard 1981). It avoids areas where annual rainfall exceeds 250 mm (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996). On migration this species is found along the muddy edges of small inland lakes, reservoirs, sewage farms (Johnsgard 1981), riverbanks (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) and seasonal pools (Snow and Perrins 1998), as well as on coastal mudflats and seashores (Johnsgard 1981, Van Gils and Wiersma 1996). In its winter range the species mainly inhabits coastal areas such as estuarine mudflats and sandflats (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996, Hockey et al. 2005), enclosed lagoons, tidal creeks (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996) and saltpans (Urban et al. 1986), but it also occurs at inland freshwater wetlands such as open pools in marshes, paddyfields, jheels (and other small bodies of water covered with vegetation) (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996), small dams, floodwater margins and sandbanks along rivers (Urban et al. 1986). The diet of this species consists chiefly of invertebrates (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). During the breeding season larval and adult Diptera and small beetles are the primary foods (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996), particularly the larvae of mosquitoes and craneflies (Johnsgard 1981). Outside of the breeding season the diet becomes more varied, with ants, Hymenoptera, waterbugs, annelids, small molluscs, crustaceans, freshwater mites and plant material being taken as well as Diptera and beetles (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996). The nest is a shallow cup (Snow and Perrins 1998) on the ground in the open (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998), sometimes covered with vegetation (Van Gils and Wiersma 1996).Habitats & Altitude
ThreatsThis species is susceptible to avian malaria (Mendes et al. 2005) and avian botulism (Blaker 1967, van Heerden 1974), so may be threatened by future outbreaks of these diseases.Threats & Impacts
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and StressesClimate change & severe weather
ConservationConservation Actions UnderwayThe species is listed on Annex II of the Bern Convention.
Conservation Actions ProposedNo conservation measures are thought to be currently needed for this species.
BibliographyBalachandran, S. 2006. The decline in wader populations along the east coast of India with special reference to Point Calimere, south-east India. In: Boere, G., Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 296-301. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, U.K.Blaker, D. 1967. An outbreak of Botulinus poisoning among waterbirds. Ostrich 38(2): 144-147.Hockey, P.A.R., Dean, W.R.J. and Ryan, P.G. 2005. Roberts birds of southern Africa. Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa.Johnsgard, P.A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London.Mendes, L., Piersma, T., Lecoq, M., Spaans, B. and Ricklefs, E. 2005. Disease-limited distributions? Contrasts in the prevalence of avian malaria in shorebird species using marine and freshwater habitats. Oikos 109: 396-404.Snow, D.W. and Perrins, C.M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Urban, E.K., Fry, C.H. and Keith, S. 1986. The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London.Van Gils, J. and Wiersma, P. 1996. Little Stint (Calidris minuta). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/53927 on 15 April 2015).van Heerden, J. 1974. Botulism in the Orange Free State goldfields. Ostrich 45(3): 182-184.Wearne, K. and Underhill, L.G. 2005. Walvis Bay, Namibia: a key wetland for waders and other coastal birds in southern Africa. Wader Study Group Bulletin 107: 24-30.
