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The Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubius is a small plover
and is typical of the birds in the
family Charadriidae. The bird forages
for food in muddy areas with very
shallow water, or mucky soil. It hunts
on small insects and worms living
just below the surface of the mud. It
employs a splendid method to hunt
known as ‘foot-trembling’. What the
plover does is cause vibrations by
patting the surface of the soil with
its feet to force prey to come out
of hiding.
Pushpal GoswamiThe Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus is a small wader
in the family Scolopacidae, found
rarely on Indian shores. This bird has
a sound knowledge of physics when
it comes to feeding. It usually feeds
in shallow waters of wetlands, and
other intertidal zones, on crustaceans,
small insects and other invertebrates.
It rapidly swims in small circles
creating a vortex, which causes prey
to congregate at the surface. The
Phalarope even cashes in on episodes
of converging currents and upswellings
in open oceans, where zooplankton
tend to concentrate.
Pratik Humnabadkar