The Indian Subcontinent provides suitable habitats to various species of birds for residing and nesting. Sandpipers are no exception in this regard. Various types of Sandpipers have been recorded in India. They belong to the kingdom, Animalia; phylum, Chordata; class, Aves; order, Charadriiformes; and family, Scolopacidae. These weavers are described below.
Spoon-Billed Sandpiper
The spatulate bill of Spoon-Billed Sandpiper (C. pygmeus) is the distinctive feature of the bird. It is a critically endangered bird. When the adult Sandpiper is breeding, it will be visible in red-brown head, neck and breast with dark brown streaks. The upperparts are blackish with buff and pale rufous fringing. When the adult is not breeding, it assumes pale brownish-grey upperparts with whitish fringing to the wing-coverts. It appears in white colored underparts and black colored legs. Spoon-Billed Sandpiper feeds by making side-to-side movement of the bill, while walking forward with its head down.
Green Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper (T. ochropus) is a migratory bird, wintering in the Indian Subcontinent. The head and breast of the bird are grayish. The bird has a dark greenish-brown back and wings and white underparts. There is variance in the amount of white spots on the back of the bird, maximum of which can be noticed on the breeding adult. The bird has dark green legs and short bill. This sandpiper consumes small invertebrates.
Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper (T. stagnatilis) is migratory by nature and therefore travels to India. During breeding, this sandpiper is identified as a grayish brown bird. During winters the bird turns paler. The bill of the bird is long and fine. Its long legs are yellowish in appearance. This Sandpiper depends on insects and similar small prey for survival.
Broad-Billed Sandpiper
Broad-Billed Sandpiper (L. falcinellus) is a sparse winter visitor of coastal regions of India. The bird has a pale crown stripe and supercilia. The upperparts of a breeding adult sandpiper are dark grey, whereas its underparts are white in color. The breast region has blackish markings. This Sandpiper depends mostly on insects and other small invertebrates for survival.
Curlew Sandpiper
After breeding, Curlew Sandpiper (C. ferruginea) migrates to several places, including India. When the adult Sandpiper is breeding, it displays patterned dark grey upperparts and brick-red underparts. In winter, the Sandpiper assumes pale grey upper body and white lower body. The supercilium of the bird is white. If the bird has grey and brown back, white colored belly and a peach-colored breast, it can then be identified as a juvenile. Curlew Sandpiper depends mostly on insects and other small invertebrates for survival.
