This wader, which is smaller than a thrush, is a delight to watch as it runs in and out with the waves, darting over the sand, picking up food which has been disturbed by the foaming water. In Winter, this bird is the palest or whitest of the waders, and in the Summer, the adults are a rufous-cinnamon (reddish-orange) above, and white below. They have short, dark, straight beaks and dark legs. When flying, their wings look black with a broad white stripe.