As the weather outside confirms that we are on the cusp of spring, it is time to start preparing for the big changeover from wintering birds to summer visitors. But before we get into the excitement of neotropical migrants arriving in our backyards, an entirely different group of birds will be passing through.
The months of April and May are when we see shorebirds passing through on their long-distance trek from South America, sometimes as far south as Tierra del Fuego on the southern tip of the continent, towards their breeding grounds in the arctic tundra of northern Canada. At least 35 species of shorebird have been reported in Chautauqua County, but most will just make a brief stop along a lake shore, marsh, or flooded farm field before continuing their journey north. Seeing any of these species will require some luck and dedication as the window to spot them is limited to a few weeks in the spring and another brief period in late summer when these birds and their offspring head back south again.
Shorebird parents barely spend enough time on the arctic tundra to lay their eggs and have their chicks hatch out, before turning around for their return journey as they have such a large distance to travel. Young shorebirds are precocial, meaning that they hatch out of the eggs with a full down covering and their eyes open. Unlike songbirds, where parents feed their young for some time, no parental care is needed, and baby shorebirds can feed themselves within hours after leaving the egg. Their parents generally leave the nesting grounds well before the young birds’ flight feathers have fully grown-in and they can commence their first journey to South America.
Only four species routinely stay in our area during the breeding season to raise their young right here: American Woodcock, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, and Wilson’s Snipe.
Woodcock start their incredible display flights just about now. If you have never seen or heard this, I would recommend you find an area of dense scrub and listen closely after dark for the erratic whistling, whirring, and chirping that these birds make during their explosive courtship flights. It can be quite a spectacle if you hit the right night!
Killdeer are probably the more visible of our resident shorebirds as they will soon show up in open, sandy or gravelly areas, including flat rooftops and parking areas in built-up areas. Their namesake loud call is hard to miss and their gangly little chicks – avian Q-tips – are among the cutest baby birds around. Killdeer parents are famous for their “broken wing” distraction displays during which they feign an injury and attempt to draw you (or any other potential predator) away from the location of their nest, which is just a little scrape in the dirt. Once you follow the bird far enough that it feels confident that you’ll never find its eggs or chicks, the injured wing will miraculously heal and the Killdeer flies off.
Shorebirds are truly amazing in their ability to fly staggering distances without stopping, and in their fascinating behaviors. Keep your eyes peeled in the next month to catch a glimpse of their elusive lives!
Twan Leenders
Director of Conservation
Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy
twan@chautauquawatershed.org
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