is the smallest species of sandpiper The sandpipers exhibit considerable range in size and appearance, the wide range of body forms reflecting a wide range of ecological niches. Sandpipers range in size from the
least sandpiper, at as little as and in length, to the
Far Eastern curlew, at up to in length, and the
Eurasian curlew, at up to . Within species there is considerable variation in patterns of
sexual dimorphism. Males are larger than females in
ruffs and several sandpipers, but are smaller than females in the
knots,
curlews,
phalaropes and
godwits. The sexes are similarly sized in the
snipes,
woodcock and tringine sandpipers. Compared to the other large family of wading birds, the
plovers (
Charadriidae), they tend to have smaller eyes, more slender heads, and longer thinner bills. Some are quite long-legged, and most species have three forward pointing toes with a smaller hind toe (the exception is the
sanderling, which lacks a hind toe). Like all birds, the bills of sandpipers are capable of
cranial kinesis, literally being able to move the bones of the skull (other than the obvious movement of the lower jaw) and specifically bending the upper jaw without opening the entire jaw, an act known as
rhynchokinesis. It has been hypothesized this helps when probing by allowing the bill to be partly opened with less force and improving manipulation of prey items in the substrate. Rhynchokinesis is also used by sandpipers feeding on prey in water to catch and manipulate prey. ==Distribution, habitat, and movements==