sandpiper hyoid morphology

The Tuamotu Sandpiper (Prosobonia parvirostris) is an odd species of shorebird native to the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. It has been observed to feed on nectar, a behavior that is exceedingly rare for shorebirds. This provides a unique opportunity to explore the recent adaptation of nectar feeding within a clade and determine the morphological precursors that are necessary to develop nectarivory from similar feeding strategies, like biofilm feeding. To investigate this, we took morphological measurements of the hyoid, bill and skull from species across the Scolopacidae (sandpiper) family, and compared these with dietary categorizations.

Above: The skull of a Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla ) being imaged as part of the project.

Left: One horn of the hyoid bone from the same (C. pusilla ) individual. These bones are extremely small and fragile for most of the shorebird species!

This project is part of ongoing work at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture.