Xenus cinereus
By Koskikara, CC BY-SA 3.0
Etymology: Stranger
First described By: Kaup, 1829
Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Aequorlitornithes, Charadriiformes, Scolopaci, Scolopacidae
Status: Extant, Least Concern
Time and Place: The Terek Sandpiper has been around for at least the last 126,000 years, since the Tarantian age of the Pleistocene of the Quaternary through today
This bird spends the summers in Russia - where fossils of it have been found - and then breeds along the coasts of the Indian Ocean
Physical Description: The Terek Sandpiper is, in general, similar in appearance to the usual sandpipers - a medium sized bird, with long thin legs for wading, and a long, thin, pointed beak for probing in sand for food. The terek Sandpiper in particular is slightly larger than the Common Sandpiper, at 25 centimeters in length; it has a weakly curved bill, and is colored taupe on its back and white on its belly, with a black stripe across its eye. They also change color based on breeding or not, with the birds in the non-breeding season being duller in color than the birds during the breeding season - this is changed through seasonal molts. The Terek Sandpiper does not differ based on sex.
Diet: These birds feed mainly on midges and seeds during the breeding season; on the off season, this bird feeds on insects, molluscs, crustaceans, spiders, and worms.
Behavior: The Terek Sandpiper will feed by rapidly running across the watery sand, pecking at the surface of the water or sand and then running away immediately afterwards. It’ll probe deeper into either to grab food, and will also chase prey on the land. It feeds mainly during the low tide, wading at the water’s edge while probing around for food. These birds do forage together, calling to each other with varying whistles that go per-rrrr-eeeee over and over again. They also make softer songs while flying, and louder flutey wee-we calls in alarm.
By J. M. Garg, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Terek Sandpiper migrates, moving south starting in July and then in October, and then migrating back north from March through May. They tend to stay within the same longitudinal line, just migrating south to a place along the Indian Ocean Coast for warmer habitat during the winter. They then migrate back up throughout Russia in the summer for the breeding season. They breed form Jay through July in large colonies, though closer to Europe they’ll often nest alone. They are monogamous, mating with one mate for their whole lives, and the parents work together to carve a shallow depression in the ground and then line it with grass and debris for the nest. Usually, this nest is made near a source of water. They only lay one clutch per breeding season, which usually consists of about four eggs. These eggs hatch after a little more than three weeks, after both sexes incubate. The chicks are grey and fluffy, and they fledge after two weeks; these birds can live up to 15 years in the wild.
Ecosystem: The Terek Sandpiper lives near the coast and in lowland valleys near sources of water, especially floodplains near tall grasses and scrub forests near taiga and tundra in the north. Their coastal, non-breeding habitats are usually on mudflats and estuaries, as well as near coral reefs, sandy beaches, and sandbars. They can also be found in coastal swamps.
Other: Tens of thousands of these birds are known, and they are not considered to be endangered.
~ By Meig Dickson
Sources under the Cut
