Sanderlings, Brittany, France

© Fabrice Cahez/Minden Picture

Info. Sanderlings

We're looking at a flock of sanderlings searching for their next meal on a beach in Brittany in the north-west corner of France. These small wading birds feed in small groups at the edge of the tide, running back and forth on the beach as they look for tiny prey in the wet sand left by the waves. They eat insects, crustaceans, worms, fish and even jellyfish. The sanderling is one of the most widespread shorebirds and a long-distance migrant. They nest in the High Arctic and travel south in the autumn, where you can find them on coastal sandy beaches around the world.