Book 6, Question 25
Why Do Birds Follow the Tide Line?
When the water falls, it uncovers snacks like worms, tiny clams, and leftover bits. Birds walk the wet stripe like a moving buffet. Each tide sets a new table.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Shorebirds feed on mudflats by poking their long bills into soft mud for worms and crabs.
- When the tide comes in and covers the mudflats, the birds have to move to keep feeding.
- Some sea life moves with the tide line so it can stay underwater most of the time.
- Bird photographers learn how birds act at different tides, because it is key to finding them at all.
- The Maori of New Zealand call godwits kuaka and long saw them as birds of mystery.
- During a weak neap tide at Bartlett Cove in Alaska, high and low tide may be only 5 or 6 feet apart.
Sources: National Geographic, National Park Service, Audubon
Questions kids ask
What do shorebirds eat on mudflats?
Many poke their long bills into the soft mud to find worms and crabs.