Wood Sandpiper - Ecology

Ecology

The Wood Sandpiper breeds in subarctic wetlands from the Scottish Highlands across Europe and Asia. They migrate to Africa and southern Asia, particularly India. Vagrant birds have been seen as far into the Pacific as the Hawaiian Islands. In Micronesia it is a regular visitor to the Marianas Islands (where flocks of up to 32 birds are reported) and Palau; it is recorded on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands about once per decade. This species is encountered in the western Pacific region between mid-October and mid-May

This bird is usually found on freshwater during migration and wintering. They forage by probing in shallow water or on wet mud, and mainly eat insects and similar small prey. T. glareola nests on the ground or uses an abandoned old tree nest of another bird, such as the Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris).

The Wood Sandpiper is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Widespread, it is considered a Species of Least Concern by the IUCN.