Tuamotu sandpiper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tuamotu sandpiper |
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Tringa parvirostris Peale, 1849 |
The Tuamotu sandpiper (scientific name: Prosobonia parvirostris) is a special bird. It belongs to a group of birds called waders. These birds usually live near water. The Tuamotu sandpiper is found only in the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia. This means it is native to just that area. Local people sometimes call it kivi-kivi. This bird is currently endangered.
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About the Tuamotu Sandpiper
The Tuamotu sandpiper is a small bird. It is about 15.5 to 16.5 centimeters (6 to 6.5 inches) long. It has short wings and a mottled brown color. Its belly often has stripes or spots.
This bird's beak is short and sharp. It looks more like a beak for eating insects than for a typical wader.
Colors of the Sandpiper
Tuamotu sandpipers come in two main color types. These types can also mix together.
- Pale birds: These birds are medium brown on their backs. Their undersides are white. They have light stripes or spots on their chest. Their heads have whitish streaks. A bright white stripe above their eye (called a supercilium) and their chin are also white. Their tail feathers are brown with white tips. They also have white triangle shapes on the outer parts of these feathers.
- Dark birds: These birds are a darker brown on top. Their white parts are replaced with light buff or tawny white. Their sides are brown. Their entire belly area has many dark stripes.
The bird's eye is brown. Its beak is blackish. Its legs and feet can be dirty yellow to dark olive gray. Its toes are not webbed, meaning they are not joined by skin.
Male and female sandpipers look very similar. Females tend to be a little bigger and paler on average.
Where the Tuamotu Sandpiper Lives
This bird lives on many different atolls. Atolls are ring-shaped coral islands. They are all found in the Tuamotu Islands of French Polynesia.
Here are some of the atolls where they have been seen:
- Rangiroa, Niau, Kauehi, and Fakarava
- Raraka, Katiu, Tahanea, Tuanake, Hiti, and Tepoto
- Puka-Puka
- Anuanuraro
- Nukutavake and Pinaki
- Tenararo, Vahanga, Tenarunga, Matureivavao, Marutea Sud, and Maria Est
- Morane
- Makaroa, Kamaka, and Manui
Life and Habits
The Tuamotu sandpiper lives on atolls that are not disturbed by people. It finds food in open areas. This includes shores, beaches, and scrubland. Sometimes, it is found in thickets of Pandanus plants.
What They Eat
This bird mainly eats insects. It looks for them in the coral rubble and fallen leaves. Some insects it eats are ants, leafhoppers, and wasps. It also eats some plant material.
Sounds They Make
The Tuamotu sandpiper makes a soft, high whistle. It sounds like a piping noise. People have written down its call as meh.
Reproduction and Nests
These birds breed at different times on different islands. This usually happens between April and June.
Their nests are found on the lagoon shore. A nest is just a small dip in the coral and shell debris. It is lined with grass stems or other plant bits. They are thought to lay two eggs. The eggs are white with purple and violet spots. They look like smaller versions of the eggs laid by the upland sandpiper.
Why the Tuamotu Sandpiper is Endangered
The Tuamotu sandpiper is an endangered species. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever.
Threats to the Bird
There are two main reasons why this bird is in danger:
- Introduced animals: Rats have been brought to the islands. These rats eat the sandpiper's eggs and chicks.
- Habitat loss: More and more coconut trees are being grown. This destroys the natural places where the sandpiper lives and finds food.
The Tuamotu sandpiper used to live on many more islands. Now, it only survives on a few islands that are free of rats. These islands include Anuanuraro, Tenararo, Morane, and one other atoll. Sometimes, birds visit other nearby islands, especially in the Acteon group, but they don't breed there.
Conservation Efforts
Experts believe there are only about 700 to 1100 adult birds left. Their numbers are still going down.
There are currently no special plans in place to protect them. However, people are suggesting ideas. These ideas include:
- Giving full protection to the atolls where the birds breed.
- Working to stop rats from spreading to more islands.
History of the Tuamotu Sandpiper
Historically, this bird was also found on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island in Kiribati. It might have lived on other islands too.
A long time ago, in 1778, a bird from Kiritimati Island was drawn and described. This was during Captain Cook's last voyage. Later, scientists thought the birds from the Tuamotu Islands were a different species. They called them parvirostris.
It's very likely that the populations on different islands were slightly different. This is because the birds don't migrate far. The Kiritimati population died out sometime in the early 1800s. This was probably because of animals like feral cats that were brought to the island.
