Monday, August 2, 2010

Spoon-billed Sandpiper

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is one of the world's coolest birds, and unfortunately, it has become one of the rarest. There may be only 200-300 pairs left. They breed in a very limited area of tundra in northeastern Russia, and migrate to southeastern Asia to overwinter.

Habitat loss on all fronts, apparently - breeding and wintering grounds, and stopover sites - have plummeted this charismatic species to gravely imperiled status.



Check out this fabulous video, posted to YouTube, of a displaying male Spoon-billed Sandpiper on its tundra breeding grounds. The world would surely be a poorer place were we to lose these odd spoonbills.

3 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

OMG. This bird is on my bucket list. I will probably die without filling my bucket in regards to this bird. Just seeing this video made my heart sing. What a beauty or I should say how handsome.

Russell Reynolds said...

Awesome bird Jim,, thanks for sharing this ,, never seen or heard of this one. Absolutely beautiful and unique.

Dawn Fine said...

What a very cool bird! Would be sad indeed to loose this one.