Connections: Birds and Crabs, Part IX

Another small shorebird - ranging in length from five to seven inches – is the Semi-palmated Sandpiper (Palmation refers to the webbing between an animal’s toes.  Thus, a semi-palmated bird is one that has very short webbing between its toes.  Again, you would have to be really really close to this bird [eye to toes] to notice this particular feature).  The adults have moderately long black legs and a moderately long bill that may droop slightly at the tip.  Their body is gray-brown on top and white underneath with a streaked breast.  One of their most distinctive habits is their ability to sleep on one leg with their bill tucked into their back (Unless you are into some serious yoga, this is not something I would recommend you try – no, not even in the privacy of your own bedroom).
            The Semi-palmated Sandpiper’s non-breeding winter range extends along the coastline of the northern edges of South America – from the southern tip of Peru all the way around to southern Brazil.  On the other hand, their summer breeding range traces a primarily aquatic territory from northwestern Alaska, across northern Canada, and up into the Arctic Circle.
            Like many migratory birds, Semi-palmated Sandpipers nest on the ground.  The male makes several shallow scrapes on the ground.  During this process, the female patiently waits and then carefully selects one of the scrapes (in much the same manner, and in approximately the same amount of time, as one’s daughter might select a wedding dress) – adding grass and other plant material to line the nest.  The female will lay about four eggs in the nest and afterwards, the male assists with the incubation process.  Again, the females, like Ruddy Turnstone females, leave the young with the male after just a few short days.  Soon thereafter, the young begin feeding for themselves.
            Semi-palmated Sandpipers migrate in flocks which can number in the hundreds of thousands.  Flocks of these birds, flying in formation, are quite a sight, particularly as they sweep over their favored feeding locations along the Delaware Bay.  For the most part, these birds will congregate on mudflats.  When not dining on horseshoe crabs eggs, they will often forage on aquatic insects and small crustaceans.