Purple Sandpiper

Description:

The Purple Sandpiper is a shorebird that likes coastlines. They explore rocks covered in seaweed as they search for mussels, crustaceans, and flies.They breed on arctic tundra and they spend winters on North Atlantic shores. When the ocean comes the purple sandpiper flutters or flies away before water hits them. Adults have short yellow legs and a dark bill with a yellow base. The body is dark on top with purple and white underneath. They measure 20 to 22 cm (7.9–8.7 in) in length and 42 to 46 cm (17–18 in) across the wings. They weight between 50 and 105 g (1.8–3.7 oz).

Habitat:

Purple Sandpipers nest on arctic tundra, in tundra along coastal beaches or on gravel-sand beaches along rivers and streams. During the breeding season, they search for food mostly in wet tundra especially where there are rocky shorelines or islands.