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What Birds Can Be Found on the Beach?

Beyond its obvious attractions to the lounging human, sand beaches can be busy ecological communities. Laced with streams and rivers bringing freshwater sediments to the ocean, and frequently awash in high-tide shallows, they play host to the productive frontier of marine and terrestrial zones. Among the most easily seen of a beach's animal roster are its birds, from pelagic seabirds patrolling offshore to crows scrounging for detritus.

Shorebirds, Waders, Waterfowl
- Dunlin are among the many sandpiper species often seen along beaches.
  
  Species of sandpiper, curlew, plover, phalarope and a host of other shorebirds specialize in coastal beaches and mudflats, seeking out tidbits washed in by the surf and burrowing invertebrates of the tidal zone. Generalist predators like the great blue heron are also often seen here, wading into the breakers to snatch fish and crabs. While not often venturing onto the beach, a number of sea-duck species frequently forage near shore, including scoters and long-tailed ducks.
Seabirds
- Opportunistic and adaptable, gulls are connoisseurs of the beach environment.
  
  Seabirds of coastal and offshore waters occasionally visit beaches, or at least cruise by on the wing. Few species nest on sandy coasts, because these are too exposed to terrestrial predators. But on islands historically devoid of such threats, seabirds will rear their young in these environments; this includes albatrosses on Hawaiian shores. Gulls and terns are among the most common seabirds likely to be encountered on coastlines: The numerous species of gulls, in particular, are well-adapted for generalist foraging on the beach.
Scavengers and Hunters
- Bald eagles are just as at home on ocean beaches as they are cruising inland waterways.
  
  The beach is a fruitful spot for scavenging and hunting because of the diverse mix of resources available from both marine and terrestrial origins. Crows, gulls and vultures, for example, will gather along the nesting beaches of sea turtles, which, though otherwise wholly aquatic, come ashore to lay their eggs in sandy burrows. Hatchlings making a mad dash to the surf are an easy target for these avian predators. Carcasses and flotsam from the ocean also provide a rich food source. Sea eagles like the American bald eagle cruise beaches, occasionally venturing offshore to actively hunt fish, or pirating the catches of another fishing raptor, the osprey.
Songbirds
- Songbirds take refuge in dense dune thickets and shrub hedges along beach margins.
  
  Though most songbirds aren't specialized for beach environments, many species will readily use them. Grackles, sparrows and other songbirds will forage in the hedge-like thickets common to many beach edges, taking advantage of both the intricate shelter offered and the availability of berries, buds, insects and other food resources within them. Songbirds that migrate along coastlines during their epic seasonal journeys may occasionally rest on beaches -- or be blown to them by ocean storms.

Nature