Identifying Stints in Malaysia
Identifying Stints in Malaysia
-by Dave Bakewell
Introduction
Waders or shorebirds which breed in the northern hemisphere visit Malaysia only during their non-breeding seasons. In Malaysia, we can observe southward migration from the end of July, with numbers peaking in September and October. Overwintering birds may be observed throughout the northern winter months, and spring migration swells numbers again from mid-March to mid-April.
Stints are members of the large Scolopacidae family, and of the genus Calidris, which includes 14 species on the Malaysian list. They are the smallest in size of all the waders, a fact which renders them relatively easy to separate as a group from others if they are in mixed flocks.
Four true stints occur regularly in Malaysia, Temminck’s Stint C. temminckii, Long-toed Stint C. subminuta, Red-necked Stint C. ruficollis, and Little Stint C. minuta, with a fifth, atypical species, Spoon-billed Sandpiper C. pygmea, now sadly a very rare visitor.
Where and When to Look for Stints
According to eBird, Red-necked and Long-toed Stints are the earliest to arrive on southward migration, with the first records showing up in late July. Little Stints can be found from mid-August, and Temminck’s are later to arrive, with the first records in September. There are no records of Spoon-billed Sandpiper before October.
Stints can be somewhat reliably separated based on their preferred habitat. Long-toed and Temminck’s show a strong preference for freshwater habitats (such as rice paddies and mining ponds), being rarely observed in the intertidal zone. Red-necked, on the other hand, is the default species in the intertidal zone (especially mudflats), and is far less commonly observed in freshwater habitats. Little Stint can be seen in both habitat types. All recent Spoon-billed Sandpiper records in recent years have been on intertidal mudflats or nearby roost-sites.
Key Sites: You can substantially improve your chances of connecting with these species by going to specific favoured sites.
Red-necked Stint
The commonest of all four species. Occurs in most good quality intertidal mudflats along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, often in large numbers. Smaller numbers occur on the sandier substrates of the east coast, and on the north coast of Borneo.
- Pantai Jeram, Selangor
- Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda IBA, Pulau Pinang
- Bako-Buntal Bay, Sarawak
- Lok Kawi Beach, Sabah
- Tinagat Beach, Sabah
Little Stint
Rare but regular in small numbers, often mingling with other stint species. Almost certainly overlooked. Very rare in East Malaysia.
- Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda IBA, Pulau Pinang
- Malim Nawar Mining Ponds, Perak
- North Central Selangor Coast, Selangor
Long-toed Stint
The commonest freshwater stint. Large areas may hold several hundred birds, but they tend to feed singly or in loosely associated parties, and only flock when flushed.
- Widespread in wet paddyfields along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and along the edges of fish-ponds, mining pools, etc
Temminck’s Stint:
The rarest freshwater stint (and the rarest of all four species), usually occurring singly or in small groups numbering fewer than 5 birds.
- Malim Nawar mining ponds, Perak
- Sungai Rambai paddyfields, Melaka
- Kubang Semang paddyfields, Pulau Pinang
- Tempasuk Plains, Sabah
How to Watch Stints
Wader-watching in general presents a number of challenges. Birds can be distant, and heat haze can be a significant hindrance to visibility. To stand the best chance of getting to grips with stints, try to find a place where you can watch them at reasonably close range. Unlike some other waders, stints are fairly tolerant of close approach. You will increase your chances further if you can watch from a vehicle or some other form of concealment.
As well as binoculars, a tripod-mounted telescope can be a big help in enabling you to appreciate the finer differences of plumage, and, of course, a camera with a long lens can help you to further refine your identification skills after you have left the field.
Taking multiple photos is useful for assessing posture, structure and plumage, but be careful also to spend time observing behaviour, especially when birds are feeding.
Try to fine-tune your observational skills by noting subtle differences in shape, including the shape and length of the bill and legs, and familiarize yourself with the basic feather tracts of a bird[1] – knowing your greater coverts from your scapulars will help you to make sense of what you are seeing.
[1] See p293 of the paper referenced below.
Avoid the common mistake of trying to make an identification based on just one feature. Most errors arise from this oversimplification. Check multiple features, and work your way towards identification based on observations combining habitat, behaviour, shape and structure, size and plumage/bare part colours.
Lastly, as a general principle, start with the assumption that the bird you are looking at is the common species, and only question that if there is clear and consistent evidence to the contrary.
Identification…But first!
In broad terms, the two things to be alert for when looking for stints are:
- Very small size (about the same size as a Tree Sparrow)
- Very short, straight bill (less than the length of the head)
But, before we jump into the finer details, there are a couple of traps for the unwary novice (or not so novice!)
- Plovers have very short straight bills. However, they
- Are not particularly small
- Have relatively large eyes
- Have bills which are thick and pointed at the end, not thin and blunt-tipped
- Feed very differently – by sight rather by probing. They spend time motionless, before darting forward to seize prey. Stints probe constantly when they’re feeding.
Figure 1. Compared to stints (front), plovers (behind) are larger, fatter, have thicker bills and bigger eyes.
- Sanderlings look like outsized stints. They are structurally similar, with a short, straight bill. However, they
- Are substantially larger and more heavily built than stints
- Typically prefer sandy beaches, where they run along the tideline at breakneck speed
- Have no hind toe
- Are very white compared to other waders, in adult winter and juvenile plumage, often showing a blackish shoulder mark at the bend of the wing.
Figure 2. Sanderlings usually look larger, bulkier and whiter than stints (compare the two Sanderlings in the foreground with the Red-necked Stint behind).
OK, Now to Identification!
Stint identification is one of the greatest challenges in birding worldwide, and so to present a comprehensive treatment of the subject would take up more space and time than is possible here. What I hope to do is to give some starting points, which will give you the means to progress further.[2]
The good news is that, in Malaysia, there are really only 4 species to choose from. Provided you can get a good look at the legs and observe their colour, you can quickly halve that choice to just two.
[2] For those wanting more detail, I would recommend this paper https://www.britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/article_files/V77/V77_N07/V77_N07_P293_315_A085.pdf. Despite being published over 30 years ago, it remains a definitive classic.
From the table above, you will see that, if you are looking at intertidal mudflats, the default species is Red-necked Stint. If you are in paddyfields or mining pools, then the default species is Long-toed Stint.
The two yellow-legged species are rather easy to tell apart. Long-toed is always brown and scaly or streaky above, whereas Temminck’s is grey and plain above.
On the other hand, Red-necked and Little are among the more difficult species pairs to separate with confidence. Structural differences (i.e. shape) provide some of the best pointers. Little is longer-legged and on average, longer-billed than Red-necked, has a rounder body shape, is more upright, and has a smaller head than Red-necked. There are a host of subtle plumage differences, depending on age and plumage of the bird, and these are best appreciated by consulting specialist books, articles or websites.
Furthermore, click on this link – Stints of Malaysia, to learn more through an excellent video done by the author. Enjoy and good luck on stint-watching everyone.
