Bering sandpiper
| Bering sandpiper | ||||||||||
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Ringed sandpiper ( Calidris ptilocnemis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Calidris ptilocnemis | ||||||||||
| ( Coues , 1873) |
The Bering beach runner ( Calidris ptilocnemis ) is a species of bird in the family Scolopacidae. It occurs in northern North America and in northern East Asia. The IUCN classifies the ringed sandpiper as 
(= least concern - not endangered) and estimates the population at 160,000 to 170,000 individuals.
Several subspecies are distinguished.
Appearance
The ringed sandpiper reaches a body length of 20 to 22 centimeters. The wingspan is 38 to 44 centimeters. The weight varies between 60 and 80 grams.
In their splendid dress , Bering sandpipers have a dark brown skull. The cheeks are chestnut brown, the rest of the head is pale brownish with fine chestnut brown stripes. The throat is light without any markings. In front of the eyes there is a dark spot on each side of the head. The iris is dark brown. The beak is dark brown or dark olive in color with a light beak base. The tip of the beak is slightly bent downwards. The breast is pale brownish with strong dark brown stripes. The stripes get darker and stronger towards the abdomen and form a dark spot on the stomach of many individuals. The rest of the underside of the body is light with only a slight stripe. The coat is dark brown, the feathers are broad chestnut brown and lined with reddish, so that the top of the body looks scaly. The hull is dark brown with lighter sides. The middle tail feathers are dark gray-brown, the outer tail feathers are pale gray. The legs and feet are yellow-orange in winter and early spring and olive-green for the rest of the year.
In the plain dress, the bering sandpiper has a plumage that is very similar to that of the sandpiper . They are then predominantly light slate gray. The plumage of the young birds is similar to the splendid plumage of the adult, but has fewer brown tones overall and the feathers of the coat are lined with wider reddish brown.
Distribution area
The Bering sandpiper occurs mainly on the coasts of the Bering Strait . It breeds in western Alaska, on the Pribilof Islands , the Aleutian Islands , the east of the Chukchi Peninsula and the Commander Islands and the Kuril Islands . Similar to the sandpiper, the sandpiper is found almost exclusively on the coast and prefers rocky coast in particular. However, it also occurs in the coastal tundra.
The bering sandpiper is a migratory bird. It winters on the west coast of the United States and occurs as far as northern California.
Way of life
The ringed sandpiper eats mollusks, crustaceans, the larvae of flies and other invertebrates, especially beetles and spiders.
He lives sociable during the winter months. The birds arrive in the breeding area in small flocks, but where they disperse very quickly.
They breed in very loose colonies and look for food in small groups. However, the individual males defend smaller breeding grounds. The nest is a shallow hollow that is covered with fine grass. The clutch usually comprises four eggs. These have a pale green, pale gray, olive or brownish skin color and are darkly spotted. The breeding season is 22 to 24 days. The chicks flee the nest and leave the nest about twelve hours after hatching. Young birds are sexually mature at around two years of age.
supporting documents
literature
- Richard Sale: A Complete Guide to Arctic Wildlife , published by Christopher Helm, London 2006, ISBN 0-7136-7039-8
Web links
- BirdLife Factsheet on the Bering Sandpiper
- Calidris ptilocnemis inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.2. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
Single receipts
- ↑ BirdLife Factsheet on the Bering Sandpiper , accessed December 17, 2010
- ↑ Sale, p. 190