On the tip of the tongue: natural history observations that transformed shorebird ecology

Abstract

A new field of shorebird feeding ecology has been opened, stemming directly from natural history observations of previously overlooked morphological and behavioral features. We describe how the pieces of this puzzle were assembled to reveal a fascinating story of small shorebird migration, trophic level shift, and direct feeding upon mudflat superficial biofilm just prior to breeding. Many unexplored avenues of research have arisen, including a trampoline effect of resource timing, the potential trade-off between trophic imperatives and toxic co-products, and the particular utilization of this resource in small, as opposed to large, shorebirds.