COMMON SANDPIPER
Actitis hypoleucos
Uthuthula (Xhosa) Gewone Ruiter (Afrikaans)
HABITAT
The shorelines of any water body from estuaries, rivers and pans to dams, ponds and
wetlands.
TYPE
A smallish wader which is uniformly darkish brown above and on the sides of the chest and
white underneath extending around the bend of the wing as a white crescent. It has a white eyebrow
and a brown straight bill about as long as its head. The eyes are brown amd the legs and feet
greenish grey. It is usually seen as a solitary bird but may roost in small groups.
FOOD
It forages by pecking at the surface of water or mud and by probing into mud and mammal dung
to find insects, molluscs, crustaceans, leeches and fish fry.
BREEDING
It is a non breeding Palaeartic migrant.
STATUS
It is a fairly common non-breeding Palaeartic migrant which visits from July to May.
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