Rock sandpiper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rock sandpiper |
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Erolia ptilocnemis |
The rock sandpiper (scientific name: Calidris ptilocnemis) is a small bird that lives near the ocean. It is a type of shorebird, which means it spends its time walking in shallow water or on the shore.
Contents
What Does a Rock Sandpiper Look Like?
Adult rock sandpipers have short yellow legs. They also have a medium-sized, thin, dark beak. Their bodies are dark on top, sometimes with a slight purple shine. Their undersides are mostly white. The chest area often looks smeared with grey, and their rump (the lower back) is black. Some rock sandpipers, especially those from the Pribilof Islands, have a clear black patch on their belly.
Where Do Rock Sandpipers Live and Reproduce?
Rock sandpipers breed in the northern tundra. This is a cold, treeless area. They live along the Arctic Pacific coast of Alaska. They also live on the Aleutian Islands and Pribilof Islands. You can also find them breeding in Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands.
When they breed, a male and female rock sandpiper usually stay together. This is called being monogamous. Their pair bond often lasts for several years. They build their nests on the ground. Sometimes they choose a spot on raised rocks. Other times, they pick a lower, damp area. The male bird makes a few small hollows in the ground. The female then chooses one of these spots. She will lay four eggs in the chosen nest. Both the male and female birds share the job of keeping the eggs warm until they hatch.
Different Types of Rock Sandpipers
There are four main types, or subspecies, of rock sandpipers. They are slightly different depending on where they live:
- C. p. tschuktschorum: This type breeds in the Chukchi Peninsula and western Alaska.
- C. p. ptilocnemis: This type breeds in the Pribilof Islands, Hall Island, and St. Matthew Island.
- C. p. couesi: This type breeds in the Aleutian Islands and on the Alaska Peninsula.
- C. p. quarta: This type breeds in the southern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula. It also lives in the Kuril and Commander Islands.
How Do Rock Sandpipers Migrate?
When winter comes, rock sandpipers migrate south. They fly to rocky coasts along the Pacific Ocean that do not freeze. Interestingly, the different subspecies "leapfrog" each other. This means that birds from farther north will fly even farther south for winter. They pass by the birds that breed in more southerly areas. Rock sandpipers can form very large groups during the winter.
Rock sandpipers that spend winter in the Pacific Basin, near Alaska, face tough conditions. They need to find good quality food. Their main food source is a type of clam called Macoma balthica.
What Do Rock Sandpipers Eat?
These birds look for food on rocky coastlines. Their diet mainly includes insects, mollusks (like snails and clams), and marine worms. They also eat some plant material. Rock sandpipers often feed in water that comes up to their chest. They can even swim! When they are not feeding, they rest on rocks. They choose spots just above where the high tide waves spray.
See also
In Spanish: Correlimos roquero para niños
