| IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): | Least Concern
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| Approximate size(adult): | A small, compact shorebird, about 20–22 cm in length; in breeding plumage, adults have a rich reddish-brown body, gray head, and yellow bill. Non-breeding plumage is pale gray and white.
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| Resident/ Migrate from: | Breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia; highly migratory.
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| Migrate to: | Winters at sea, mainly in the tropical and subtropical oceans of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Occasionally seen off the coasts of South Asia during migration.
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| Breeding season: | June to August, coinciding with the short Arctic summer.
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| Breed in: | Tundra wetlands, especially shallow pools and marshy areas near the coast or inland. Females are more brightly colored and males incubate the eggs.
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| Habitat: | During non-breeding, almost entirely pelagic, spending most of the year far offshore; during breeding, prefers Arctic tundra pools and marshes.
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| Diet: | Feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates, such as crustaceans, insect larvae, and zooplankton; often spins in circles on water to create vortices that bring prey to the surface.
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