The Tuamotu sandpiper is an endangered member of the large wader family Scolopacidae, that is endemic to the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia. It is sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Aechmorhynchus. In the local Tuamotuan language, it is apparently called kivi-kivi.
Region
South Pacific (Tuamotu Archipelago)
Typical Environment
Confined to a handful of low coral atolls within the Tuamotus, typically on predator-free motus. It uses open sandy shores, coral rubble, and dry coastal scrub dominated by Scaevola and Pandanus. Birds often forage along strandlines, among leaf litter under shrubs, and in lightly vegetated coconut groves. Unlike many shorebirds, it is rarely seen on tidal mudflats and shows a preference for terrestrial and supratidal zones.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 10 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This endangered shorebird is endemic to the Tuamotu Islands of French Polynesia and is sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Aechmorhynchus. Unusually for a sandpiper, it forages largely in dry coastal scrub and coconut groves rather than on mudflats. It is locally known as the kivi-kivi. Predation by introduced rats and cats and habitat alteration on atolls are its main threats.
Temperament
alert but relatively confiding on predator-free islets
Flight Pattern
low, fast flight with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups; territorial during the breeding season. Nests are simple scrapes on sandy ground, often sheltered by low shrubs. Clutches are small and both parents attend the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Soft, high-pitched piping notes and twittering calls used for contact and alarm. Display calls become more insistent near nests or when intruders approach.
Plumage
Mottled sandy-brown upperparts with fine streaking; paler buff underparts with faint streaks on the breast; white belly and vent; short tail and compact build.
Diet
Primarily small invertebrates such as ants, beetles, flies and their larvae, spiders, and small crustaceans. It probes among leaf litter, beach wrack, and coral rubble, and occasionally gleans from low vegetation. Opportunistic feeding along the strandline is common after storms when prey is abundant.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dry coastal scrub, open sandy patches, and edges of coconut groves, as well as along lagoon and ocean shorelines. It avoids deep water and typically feeds on firm substrates rather than mud.
