Description:

A strikingly long-legged, dainty stilt-shaped sandpiper with a very fine straight bill; small-headed and delicate. Legs greenish or yellowish. Upperparts are grey and foreneck and underparts white in non-breeding, when the pale lores, forehead and chin create a pale-faced appearance. In breeding foreneck and breast streaked and upperparts barred.

Distribution:

Rare passage migrant through south-western waterways and lakes of Gilgit-Baltistan. Usually found in wide variety of wetlands; including marshes, lakes, river banks, boggy areas and grasslands. From lowlands up to 3000m during passage migration.

Behavior:

Often feeds in shallow water, pecking from water surface, while walking steadily and briskly; may glean from vegetation; sometimes probes, jabs or sweeps bill through water; rarely swims. Diet includes small fish, crustaceans, molluscs and many insects, mostly aquatic, sometimes terrestrial; occasionally plant material.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Marsh Sandpiper in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Marsh Sandpiper

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.