The Purple Sandpiper 



THE PURPLE SANDPIPER 



Tringa striata, Linnaeus 



The Purple Sandpiper is a winter resident on our rocky 

 shores, and if somewhat local is nevertheless well distributed 

 wherever suitable localities are found. 



It has not yet been known to breed within the British 

 area, but it is not unlikely that further investigation may 

 prove that it does so on the Shetlands. Its nearest 

 authenticated breeding-ground is on the Faroes ; it breeds 

 also in the north of Norway, Iceland, Greenland, and other 

 circumpolar islands westward to Arctic America, but there 

 is no evidence of its nesting in Siberia. The nest is placed 

 on the sea-shore or on rocky fells near the margin of a 

 lake, and the eggs are usually pale greenish buff, with 

 reddish-brown markings. Both sexes incubate, and the 

 male takes chief care of the brood ; if disturbed after the 

 young are hatched, the parent runs about in evident 

 distress, and looks in the low scrub more like a rat than 

 a bird. Their diet consists of insects, Crustacea, and 

 other living food, which may be found among the sea-weed 

 growing on rocks ; and the most exposed situations are 

 visited as soon as the tide has uncovered the weed. 



In summer the adult has the upper parts dark brownish 

 grey, the feathers being spotted with rufous and tipped with 

 whitish. The under parts from the chin to the breast 

 dark grey, with brownish streaks ; belly and flanks white, 



3 2 9 4* 



