Behavior of migrant shorebirds in playas of the Southern High Plains, Texas

Article Abstract:

Diurnal time-activity budgets conducted on American Avocets, Long-billed Dowitchers, Least Sandpipers and Western Sandpipers in spring and fall 1993 and 1994 in 69 playas on the Southern High Plains, TX, found that all four species spent little time in locomotion, body maintenance, and alert and aggressive behaviors. They were also found to employ different behavioral strategies in response to factors such as nocturnal foraging, diet, predation and migration distances.

author: Smith, Loren M., Davis, Craig A.
High Plains (United States)

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Behavior of migrating shorebirds at North Dakota prairie potholes

Article Abstract:

The behavior of shorebirds has been widely studied in coastal wintering and breeding areas but little research has been undertaken into the behavior of such birds in inland areas. A new study investigates the diurnal time-activity budgets of American Avocets, Stilt Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Least Sandpipers and Semipalmated Sandpipers during spring and fall in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota. Details of the study are presented.

author: Smith, Loren M., De Leon, Manuel T.
North Dakota, Prairies, Sandpipers

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Tool use by bristle-thighed curlews feeding on albatross eggs

Article Abstract:

Bristle-thighed curlews feedingon albatross eggs were observed to use stones as tools for cracking the eggs open. The stones are thrown forcefully at the eggs rather than dropped onto them. The inability of curlews to grasp intact eggs, the sensitivity of the curlew bill to sharp blows against hard surfaces and the thickness of the shellapparently combined to produce such behavior. This is the first report of tool use by any shorebird species.

author: Marks, Jeffrey S., Hall, C. Scott
Observations, Curlews, Tool use in animals, Animal tool use

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subjects list: Behavior, Natural history, Birds, Bird migration, Shore birds, Shorebirds
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