Common & Spotted Sandpipers

Description

Phil Holland | 168 pages | 2018 | paperback

The first book devoted to these two ubiquitous species.

Takes the Reader from the exciting breeding activities in the temperate north through their long migration south and journey back.

This wonderful book describes the fascinating lives of the two most ubiquitous shorebirds in the world. Between them the Common Sandpiper (Actitus hypoluecos) and Spotted Sandpiper (Actitus macularia) make use of a large part of the world’s terrestrial habitat and they exhibit many of the exciting features of shorebirds.

As the birds arrive on the breeding ground, their displays are spectacular and their sounds are an exciting announcement of springtime. Unusually, the Spotted Sandpiper appears to be the only bird where the female is the territory holder, laying successive clutches of eggs for different males to care for, while the male of the Common Sandpiper holds the territory, has one mate, and shares most duties.

They stay on the breeding grounds only as long as it is essential to reproduce before making a migration southward to a broad range of non-breeding homes in Central and South America, Africa, India and eastwards to Australia.

The author has spent over 40 years studying the lives of these fantastic birds and provides a wealth of information including their breeding behaviour, migrations, distribution, food sources, habitats and their history from the present back to 36 million years ago. This beautiful book will hopefully stimulate others watch these worldwide birds more appreciatively and add to our knowledge.