Category: Charadriiformes

Folklore, how the Snipe got its long beak

At one time there were no lakes. There were creeks and rivers, but no lakes. Raven wanted to make lakes, so he made a depression in the ground for to collect the water and a new lake began to form. Then he put fish in the new lake. After a time he returned to see […]

Bird stories, Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus)

In England the dotterel is considered an article of food a great delicacy. It is caught in the night by lamplight, in accordance with the movements of the fowler. For if he stretch out his arm the bird extends a wing. If he stretches a leg, the bird does the same. In short, whatever the […]

Bird stories, Curlew (Numenius arquata)

The sad wailing, cry of these birds, while on the wing, in the dark still nights of winter, resembling the moans of wandering spirits, is believed in some parts of England to be a death warning, and called the cry of the Seven Whistlers. In Scotland the farmers think the cry is exactly like the […]

Bird stories, Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)

The Hudson Bay Eskimos tell their boys and girls when they see the funny little guillemots by the sea-cliffs and ask about them, that once a lot of children were playing near the brink of such a cliff. Their noisy shouts disturbed a band of seal-hunters on the beach below, and one of the men […]

Subspecific Identification of the Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) Science Article 3 abstract The Willet is a familiar shorebird to many birders around temperate regions of North, Central, and South America. Its large size, drab plumage, and flashy wing pattern make it relatively straightforward to identify Michael O’Brien, BIRDING MAY/JUNE 2 0 0 6 Download article download full text (pdf)

Predator avoidance behaviour of a solitary Willet attacked by a Peregrine Falcon

Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) Science Article 2 abstract During the non-breeding season, Willets Catoptrophorus semipalmatus use a variety of tactics to avoid predators and have been reported to take flight, submerge themselves inwater, and hide in or near marsh vegetation JOSEPH B. BUCHANAN, Bulletin 104 August 2004 Download article download full text (pdf)

Social Organization In A Nesting Population Of Eastern Willets (Catoptrophorus Semipalmatus)

Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) Science Article 1 abstract The breeding ecology of eastern Willets (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) was studied over a 3-yr period in a salt marsh on the Atlantic coast of Virginia. During the study,171 adults were color-marked MARSHALL A. HOWE, The Auk 99: 88-102. January 1982 Download article download full text (pdf)

Challenges and prospects of population genetic studies in terns(Charadriiformes, Aves)

Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) Science Article 8 abstract Little information is available about the population structure of communally nesting terns (Sternidae) and skimmers(Rynchopidae) throughout the world. In order to fill this gap, a survey of molecular markers was carried out for sixspecies of terns (Anous stolidus, Sterna hirundinacea, S. fuscata, S. superciliaris, Thalasseus maximus andPhaetusa […]

Growth and energetics of chicks of the Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) and Common Tern (S. hirundo)

Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) Science Article 1 abstract We measured the energy budgets of chicks of the Common Tern (Sterna hitundo) on Great Gull Island, New York and of the Sooty Tern (S. fuscata) on the Dry Tortugas, Florida. The respiratory energy requirement was determined by measuring oxygen consumption in a closed system. We calculated […]

Climatological Effects On The Breeding Of Terns

Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata) Science Article 6 abstract The physical circulation in the Western Indian Ocean controls the supply of nutrients, and this, combined with the stability of the surface layer and the availability of sunlight controls the primary production. In this note, we review two papers’ findings on how the physical conditions ultimately impact […]