Arctic Tern
All About Shorebirds
Shorebirds are a colorful group of various birds that all love water and migrate thousands of kilometers each year to escape the cold winter.
What Are Shorebirds?
Shorebirds are a diverse group of birds. More than half of the 390 species have long legs, which they use to wade through shallow waters and mud in search of worms, clams, or small fish. This is also the reason they are referred to as waders. However, there are also shorebirds with short legs and short beaks. Most species migrate to warmer regions during the winter.
Main Characteristics of Shorebirds
1. Habitats Near Water
All shorebirds live near water, such as along coastlines, rivers, lakes, and other wetlands like swamps.
2. They Are Migratory Birds
85% of shorebirds are migratory. Of these, 60% travel thousands of kilometers to spend the winter in the warm south and breed there. The best example is the Arctic Tern. Among all migratory birds, it travels the farthest: a total of 60,000 miles (96,000 km). The Bar-tailed Godwit is known for the longest nonstop flight: it can fly 7,200 miles (11,500 km) in just 9 days without stopping.
3. Most Have Long Legs
Most shorebirds search for food in shallow water. With their long legs, they can cover larger areas than birds with short legs without getting their bodies wet. Since the ground is often muddy or slippery, most wading birds have long, splayed toes.
Shorebird Family Tree
Amazing Facts About Shorebirds
- There are over 390 species of shorebirds.
- The most well-known include the Arctic tern, the black-headed gull, the puffin, the oystercatcher, and the lapwing.
- Shorebirds are made up of three families: waders, gulls, and auks.
- Most shorebirds have long, pointed wings.
- Many of them are migratory birds and travel long distances regularly.
- The most well-known shorebirds are the common tern, the seagull, the puffin, and the oystercatcher.
- Shorebirds are carnivores or omnivores. They eat fish, worms, invertebrates, crustaceans, insects, and even some plants.
- The largest shorebird is the great black-backed gull, which measures 24-31 inches (61-78 cm) in length and weighs between 3.3-4.4 pounds (1.5-2 kg).
- The smallest shorebird is the least sandpiper, measuring 4.7-5.5 inches (12-14 cm) in length and weighing 0.1-1 ounces (20-30 grams).
