The breeding grounds vary somewhat between species. Some breed in the
tundra or on mountain ridges - environments that are nothing like the
habitats they winter in down here.
Regards, Laurie.
On 30/09/2008, at 7:59 PM, Jill Dening wrote:
Hi All,
I was recently asked a question about waders which totally fazed me.
I was asked if the length of the bill of different species of wader
is of any advantage on the breeding grounds.
This came up in respect to my saying that here, where waders live in
coastal regions, the length of the bill can allow different species
to feed together in intertidal estuaries without competing. I
described the intertidal substrate as like a department store with
several floors, where different species bought their food on
different floors. And then one thinking person asked the question
above.
I want to be able to get back to this person with an answer. I
didn't find any reference to it in my library. I have never been to
the breeding grounds, but there the waders are scattered over
thousands of kms, where I imagine the bill length is no competitive
advantage. They are not communal breeders. I have never heard the
bill length discussed in any context relating to the breeding grounds.
Can anyone help? Can the bill length help some species to eat
certain food on the breeding grounds?
Cheers,
Jill
--
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
26° 51' 41"S 152° 56' 00"E
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