Facts on Sandpipers

Sandpipers are carnivorous shore birds

Sandpiper is the colloquial name for a variety of small wading birds in the family scientifically named scolopacidae. Sandpipers are easy to spot, as their habitat, behavior and appearance are unique to their species. Sandpipers are often spotted in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Like many birds, they are carnivorous.

Types

There are several types of sandpiper. One type is the red-backed sandpiper, which is a small version of the common sandpiper that breeds in Arctic regions and winters in the southern U.S. or the Mediterranean. The Greenshank sandpiper is European and has green legs, different from the Redshank, which has red legs. The Jacksnipe sandpiper inflates its chest when courting and lives in the U.S. One sandpiper is nicknamed curlew because of the way its bill curves. The spoon-billed sandpiper hails from East Asia.

Habitat

Sandpipers are generally shorebirds. Shorebirds wade in seashores and estuaries. The common sandpiper migrates throughout the year but frequents similar habitats year-round. In upland areas, sandpipers typically live along rivers, ponds or lakes. It isn't uncommon to see them on the shoreline of any of these bodies of water dipping their heads down to catch food.

Characteristics

The sandpipers of the Americas are spotted on their upper body, alternating in color between cream and brown. Their underside is white. The bird is between 7 1/2 and 8 1/4 inches in height and weighs 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 oz. They are considered small to medium-sized birds. They have long legs and are sometimes seen running in groups along the beach. In flight, sandpipers have a stiff-winged style and typically stay close to the water or ground. When they are in the air they make noise in three distinct syllables: "twee-wee-wee."

Diet

Sandpipers dine on crustaceans (shrimp, krill, barnacles), insects and worms. Like many birds they are staunch carnivores. They retrieve their food by pecking and probing the ground and shoreline with their short bills.

Endangered

The spoon-billed sandpiper of Asia has a protected status at wildlife refuges in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India and Viet Nam. An aging population and reduction in juveniles returning to breeding grounds has decreased their numbers. Climate change is a contributing factor in the possibility of their becoming extinct. Wetlands and estuaries that are being lost due to industrial development threatens sandpiper habitats.

References

• All About Birds: Least Sandpiper
• National Geographic: Common Sandpiper
• IUCN Red List: Eurynorhynchus pygmeus