Calidrids
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriiformes Family†: Scolopacidae
Genera Calidris Eurynorhynchus Limicola Tryngites Philomachus Aphriza
† see also: wader

The calidrids and their allies are a group of Arctic breeding, strongly migratory wading birds. These birds form huge mixed flocks on coasts and estuaries in winter. They are the typical "peeps", small to medium-sized, long-winged and relatively short-billed.

Their bills have sensitive tips which enable them to locate buried prey items, which they typically seek with restless running and probing.

There are a number of species closely related to the calidrids which are included in the list. The Stilt Sandpiper, previously Micropalama himantopus, has particular resemblances to the calidrid sandpipers, especially Curlew Sandpiper, and following confirmation of its close genetic relationship to that species, has now been reclassified as Calidris himantopus. It is likely that future research will also result in either the incorporation of Aphriza, Limicola and Eurynorhynchus back into Calidris, or else the break-up of Calidris into several smaller genera (Crocethia for Sanderling, and Erolia for most of the small species).

Species are:

• Family: Scolopacidae (part)
  • Aphriza (Calidris p.p.?)
    • Surfbird, Aphriza virgata
  • Calidris in the narrow sense
    • Great Knot, Calidris tenuirostris
    • Red Knot, Calidris canutus
  • "Crocethia"
    • Sanderling, Calidris alba
  • "Erolia"
    • Semipalmated Sandpiper, Calidris pusilla
    • Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri
    • Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis
    • Little Stint, Calidris minuta
    • Temminck's Stint, Calidris temminckii
    • Long-toed Stint, Calidris subminuta
    • Least Sandpiper, Calidris minutilla
    • White-rumped Sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis
    • Baird's Sandpiper, Calidris bairdii
    • Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris melanotos
    • Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata
    • Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
    • Stilt Sandpiper, Calidris himantopus
    • Purple Sandpiper, Calidris maritima
    • Rock Sandpiper, Calidris ptilocnemis
    • Dunlin, Calidris alpina
  • Eurynorhynchus (Calidris p.p. or Erolia p.p.?)
    • Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus
  • Limicola (Calidris p.p. or Erolia p.p.?)
    • Broad-billed Sandpiper, Limicola falcinellus
  • Tryngites
    • Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis
  • Philomachus
    • Ruff, Philomachus pugnax

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Calidris alpina