About Sandpipers
Sandpipers are several species of small to medium (about 6 to 12 inches long) shore birds. They can be found in large groups on beaches and farther inland on mud flats during their migratory period.
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Appearance
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In comparison to its body, the sandpiper has a long bill, long legs and long, narrow wings, but a fairly short tail. Sandpipers can be recognized by the thin, piping cries they make as they run along the sand or fly above the coast.
Plumage
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The bird's basic or winter plumage is gray or brown against white. The plumage of juvenile birds or breeding adults, however, can show multiple colors, with upper body feather having rust, white or orange edges, writes Don Roberson, author of "Monterey Birds."
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Diet
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Sandpipers are carnivores, eating worms, insects and crustaceans along ocean coastlines, mudflats or inland waters, according to the online version of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Nesting Habits
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Sandpipers usually lay four spotted eggs in a hollow in the ground. The solitary sandpiper, however, has the habit of nesting in the old tree nests of other birds.
Migration
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Many sandpipers are highly migratory and travel long distances in great flocks. The spotted sandpiper, the best-known North American sandpiper, travels as far as sub-Arctic regions to breed, then flies as far south as Argentina to spend the winter.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Steve Jurvetson
