- Lifespan
- 30–40 years in the wild; one of the longest-lived wading birds
- Size & Weight
- 39–46 cm long, wingspan 80–106 cm; 400–650 g
- Habitat
- Coastal rocky and pebbly shores, saltmarshes, mudflats, and inland lakes and river valleys with suitable nesting substrate.
- UK Distribution
- Found around all UK coasts year-round; resident population supplemented by continental migrants in winter. Breeding populations concentrated on northern and western coasts; numbers increase significantly in autumn and winter.
- Diet
- Primarily shellfish, especially mussels, cockles, and oysters; also worms, crustaceans, and small fish extracted from mud and sand.
- Prey
- Molluscs (mussels, cockles, oysters), polychaete worms, small crustaceans, occasionally small fish
- Predators
- Great Black-backed Gulls, foxes, and corvids (crows and ravens) prey on eggs and chicks; adult birds rarely predated due to size and vigilance.
- Mating Season
- April to June
- Breeding
- Clutch of 2–4 eggs (typically 3), incubation period 24–27 days, single brood per season. Young fledge at 32–36 days. Forms long-term pair bonds, often with same partner across years.
- Behaviour
- Highly vocal and conspicuous, with distinctive piping calls used in territorial and alarm contexts. Monogamous and highly territorial, defending feeding and breeding areas vigorously. Often seen in noisy flocks, especially in winter.