- Xenus cinereus
Identification
22-25cm
- Very long upcurved bill
- Upperparts and breast pale grey
- Dark carpal patch
- Mainly white underparts
Breeding Adults: broad black scapular stripes; white supercilium
In flight shows broad white trailing edge on secondaries.
Distribution
Finland and northern Asia, wintering to tropical coasts in east Africa, south Asia and Australia.
Rare, but regular visitor to the British Isles.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Believed to be more closely related to Phalaropes than calidrid sandpipers.
Habitat
This species occurs on muddy riversides and lakeshores, fresh water marshes and coastal mudflats; typically nesting among greyed driftwood on riverbanks
Behaviour
Diet
Food is small aquatic invertebrates; it chases insects and other mobile prey, and sometimes runs to the water's edge to wash its catch.
Breeding
It lays 3-4 eggs in a lined ground scrape.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Xenus cinereus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Wikipedia
- Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
- Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Terek Sandpiper. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 22 December 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Terek_Sandpiper
