Characteristics
 The western sandpiper is very similar in appearance to the semipalmated sandpiper.
It is 6-7 inches in length and has a wingspan of 10-15 inches. It has white undersides, a long bill with a little droop at the end, long legs and slightly webbed feet. In the summer, its crown and upper back is a rusty brown. It has
a black line on its rump that runs to its tail.
In the winter, its crown and upper back are gray. Males and females look alike, but the female is a little larger and has a slightly longer bill.
Range
The Western Sandpiper breeds in western Alaska and winters along the Pacific Coast from California to Peru, along the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey south to South America and along the Gulf Coast.
Habitat
In breeding season, the Western Sandpiper can be found on coastal tundras. In the winter it can be found
on mudflats, beaches, lakes, ponds and flooded fields.
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Diet
 On its breeding breeding grounds, the western sandpiper eats mostly flies and beetles as well as other insects, spiders and small crustaceans. During migration and in the winter its diet depends on where it is! In coastal areas it eats crustaceans, small mollusks, marine worms and insects. Inland it eats mostly insects.
Life Cycle
The male sings and flies over the nesting territory to attract a mate. He also may approach a female in a crouched position and make a trilling call. The male makes several scrapes in the ground and lines them with sedges, lichen and leaves. The female will chose one of the scrapes as her nesting site. The female western sandpiper lays 3-5 eggs. Both the male and the female incubate the eggs. The female may leave before the eggs hatch and the male will take over. The eggs hatch in 20-22 days and can feed themselves right after hatching. If the female stays, both parents will care for the chicks. But she may leave shortly after the chicks hatch and the male will care for them. The chicks fledge when they are 19-21 days old.
Behavior
During migration, the western sandpiper may gather in large flocks made up of hundreds of birds.
Image Credits: Clipart.com unless otherwise noted |
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