Common Sandpiper
Scientific Name: Actitis hypoleucosMaltese Name: Pispisella
Family: Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)
Occurence: Common
Breeds in Malta: No
Overview:
The Common Sandpiper is as its name implies a common, medium sized wader, widespread throughout all of Europe. It has brown upper side, pale breast, and whitish under sides with a distinctive white crescent in front of closed wing. Often swings its tail up and down while feeding. In flight has a bold white wing bar with black tips. It has a loud tew-tew-tew-yu-yu call including fast teu-i-teu-i. It searches for insects and other invertebrates along the waterside. It nests on ground not far away from water. Majority of birds migrate to Africa for the winter.
Status:
Regular Migrant. Mostly seen in singles or small flocks. It is recorded in all months of the year but increases in numbers in spring and autumn.
When to See:
Recorded throughout the year. Spring; March until May. Then return passage from late June until October. It is recorded during winter too.
Where to See:
A bird of rocky streams, valleys and coastal areas. Ghadira Nature Reserve is a very good site and it is recorded there almost on a daily basis. Salina and Simar are good sites too. Rocky sea sides are suitable and are also seen in valleys with water present like Ghajn Rihana and Lunzjata Valley especially during the winter period.
Photographs:
 |
Common Sandpipers, Ghadira Nature Reserve |
 |
 |
| Common Sandpipers, Simar Nature Reserve | Common Sandpiper, Salina |
 |
Common Sandpiper, Ghadira Nature Reserve |
Back to Bird Species List