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Sanderling is less than Starling. In breeding plumage upperparts, head, neck and breast are mostly rufous, belly is white. It is distinguished from Little Stint by larger size and by mottled deep rufous throat, fore-neck and breast, with contrast border with white belly. From Temminck's Stint it is distinguished by size, by majority of rufous in coloring and by black legs. In fly underwings are white, there is broad white band on upperwing. Winter plumage of adult birds are mostly pale-grey and white, with dark flight feathers; these are distinctive features of Sanderling. However not all birds moulted before the autumn migration, majority of birds migrate in mix plumage. Some individuals have expanded spring (pre-breeding) moulting, these birds arrive having in breeding plumage some winter feathers. Juveniles are darker than adults; its upperparts are continuous alligation of dark-brownish and pale spots; upperparts and breast have slightly buffy tinge; pattern on wing is as on adults. Main distinctive feature is tree-toed legs, lack of rear toe. Weight 40-60 grams, length 20-21, wing 11,6-13,3, wingspan 36-39 cm.

Biology

Sanderling is common, in places rare passage migrants. Occurs on sandy, muddy, pebbly or saline soil shores of salty lakes, and on marine shore. In spring appear in May, in second half often, latest birds recorded in mid-June, in small groups or flocks up to 70 birds. In autumn appears end July - early August, and latest birds observed in mid-October.

References

В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург, Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.
"Птицы Казахстана" том 2. Алма-Ата, 1962.
Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.
Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.