Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea in central and northern European Russia

Curlew Sandpipers occur on passage across central and northern European Russia. It is unlikely that they breed on the tundras of north-western Europe. They are about 10 times more numerous on southward migration than on northward migration. Stopover periods on northward migration are short, less than two hours. Habitats occupied during southward migration include sea coasts with muddy shores, the middle and lower sections of large rivers with well-developed flood-plains and sandbanks, ponds in steppe and forest-steppe zones, and artificial wetlands such as sewage farms and fishery ponds. Most passage of adult males is between 11–31 July, of adult females between 27 July–12 August, and of juveniles south of the tundra zone between 20 August–18 September; the period of passage for juveniles was uniform over a vast region. Although migration of Curlew Sandpipers is across a broad front, two routes can be distinguished: the first runs from the Kara Sea southwards along the major river systems to the Black and Caspian Seas; the second runs along the Barents Sea coast, and then follows the White Sea/Baltic Sea corridor.