Male and females look the same, but females are larger. These very small waders are smaller than a House Sparrow (Huismossie). The bill is short and black and wings project beyond the tail. The yes or dark brown with black feet and legs. The little stint can be confused with the Sanderling but this species has a small hind toe which is absent in the Sanderling. When in flight the tail and rump (area between the lower back and tail) can be seen which is black with the side of the rump white.

The Little Stint breeds in a narrow band from northern Norway to approximately Siberia in tundra of the high and low Arctic. The main non-breeding grounds for this species is sub-saharan Africa with India, Arabia and parts of the Mediterranean also used.

These common non-breeding Palearctic migrants arrive in October and depart between February and April. Small numbers of one-year old birds overwinter in South Africa and do not migrate to their breeding grounds. Nomadic on their non-breeding grounds in southern Africa and move in response to habitat becoming overgrown or flooded. The coastal population in southern Africa is believed to be around 28 000 birds, with the interior population between 25 000 – 200 000.

These birds are rare on the open coast preferring coastal and inland wetlands such as the upper reaches of estuaries with intertidal mud and sand-flats, dams, pans and sewerage works where wed mud is present. A wader that can be seen feeding on mudflats on the Breede Estuary and large freshwater areas with muddy fringes such as flooded areas (e.g on the R322) . They are often found in small single species flocks.

The diet is mainly insects including terrestrial species, but molluscs and crustaceans also taken in very shallow water or on wet mud/sand. The use sight to pick up food items which can be several meters away. Very rarely probe for food in mud.

The oldest known bird is at least 12 years old. Three species of falcons prey on these tiny birds: Lanner, Sooty and Peregrine falcons, of which the Peregrine can be regularly seen in our area.