Temminck's Stint
Scientific Name: Calidris temminckiiMaltese Name: Tertuxa Griza
Family: Waders (Scolopacidae)
Occurence: Scarce
Breeds in Malta: No
Overview:
The Temminck's Stint is a rather drab wader, with mainly plain brown upperparts and head, and underparts white apart. They are shorter legged and longer winged than the similar Little Stint. Their legs are yellow, unlike the Little Stint. The breeding adult has some brighter rufous mantle feathers. In winter plumage, the general appearance recalls a tiny version of Common Sandpiper. This stint's breeding habitat is bogs and marshes in the taiga of Arctic northern Europe and Asia. They mostly eat insects and other small invertebrates. They not as gregarious as other Calidris waders, and rarely form large flocks. This bird was named after Coenraad Jacob Temminck, a Dutch naturalist.
Status:
Scarce migrant. A few birds seen during migration, mostly at Ghadira Nature Reserve, in singles.
When to See:
April till May in Spring and July till September in Autumn.
Where to See:
Mostly seen at Ghadira Nature Reserve but Salina and other coasts are also good places to see this bird.
Photographs:
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Temminck's Stint, 24th April 2010, Ghadira Nature Reserve |
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Temminck's Stint, 8th May 2010, Ghadira Nature Reserve |
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