What is "calidris"

Calidris is a genus of Arctic-breeding, strongly migratory wading birds. The genus name is from Ancient Greek kalidris or skalidris, a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds.

This genus is closely related to other calidrids.

These birds form huge mixed flocks on coasts and estuaries in winter. They are the typical " sandpipers", small to medium-sized, long-winged and relatively short-billed.

Their bills have sensitive tips which contain numerous corpuscles of Herbst. This enables the birds to locate buried prey items, which they typically seek with restless running and probing.