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| Shorebirds
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Pacific golden-plover
has a short bill
Common redshank
has a longer bill
Whimbrel
has a very long
curved bill
Little egret
has a long neck
and a long bill |
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Shorebirds
generally have long, skinny legs for wading in shallow water, so they
are also called waders. Their broadly splayed toes help them walk
on soft mud without sinking.
To each his own: The intertidal
flats can support a wide variety of shorebirds because each species
has its own hunting technique.
The Pacific golden-plover (Pluvialis
fulva) has a very short bill. Its stop-look-run-peck hunting technique
relies on good eyesight to spot prey from a distance. (About 25cm)
The Common redshank (Tringa
totanus) has a longer, straight bill. It rarely probes the ground
preferring to walk-and-peck, moving at a steady pace. It may also
sweep its bill through the water for tit bits. Adults have bright
red legs, unless these are covered in mud! (About 28cm)
The Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
has a long, curved bill to probe deeper into the mud for worms and
burrowing crabs. (About 43cm)
The Little egret (Egretta garzetta)
has a long, thin bill and long neck for an extended reach to snatch
its prey. With much longer legs, it forages in the lagoon and soft
mud for worms, snails, crabs and prawns. An energetic hunter, it may
dash across pools in an effort to scare up a fish or two. It has bright
yellow toes! (About 60cm)
Please do not disturb the shorebirds on Chek Jawa. They need to feed
and rest for their long journeys. |
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