Editing Sharp-tailed sandpiper (section)

== Description ==
A small-medium wader, the portly [[sandpiper]] has a pot belly, flat back and somewhat drawn-out rear end.<ref name=":2" /> It has a mottled chestnut-brown upper body with sharp-looking feathers with a dark centre, a chestnut cap on its head and a brown stripe through each eye. Its bill is dark grey to black and straight, and its legs are olive- to yellow-coloured. The underparts are white or paler in colour, with the mottling similar to that on the breast and sides of the belly.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Knowlton |first=Will H. |date=29 October 2015 |title=Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata in Bolivia: first documented record for South America |url=https://www.neotropicalbirdclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Knowlton.pdf |journal=Cotinga |volume=38 |pages=20–22 |access-date=6 June 2023 |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118050857/http://www.neotropicalbirdclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Knowlton.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The plumage is duller during wintering and more vivid during the breeding season.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /> The juveniles are brighter in colour during wintering than adults, with sharper feathers and brighter chestnut-coloured crowns contrasting with the white mantle stripes and bright, buffy chests.<ref name=":3" />

A similar-looking species is the pectoral sandpiper, within whose Asian range the sharp-tailed sandpiper breeds. It differs from that species in its breast pattern, stronger [[supercilium]], and more chestnut-coloured crown. It has some similarities to the [[long-toed stint]], but is much larger.

===Measurements===
* '''Size:''' 22&nbsp;cm<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oiseaux.net |title=Bécasseau à queue pointue – Calidris acuminata – Sharp-tailed Sandpiper |url=https://www.oiseaux.net/birds/sharp-tailed.sandpiper.html |access-date=30 September 2020 |website=www.oiseaux.net |language=en |archive-date=15 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615144902/https://www.oiseaux.net/birds/sharp-tailed.sandpiper.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* '''Weight''': 39–114&nbsp;g
* '''Wingspan''': 36–43&nbsp;cm