Sniper!
This is a Wilson's Snipe, a stocky shorebird with a very long beak that can get deep in the muck to find larva, worms and other invertebrates. I read on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology site that the pectoral muscles of this bird makes up nearly 25% of its bodyweight. And with those big flying muscles, then can reach estimated speeds of 60 MPH. I wouldn't typically think of a chunky bird like this as a speed demon, but I guess I'm wrong. I maybe see this species once or twice per year, so I was happy to see it poking around pond 5 at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve
Sniper!
This is a Wilson's Snipe, a stocky shorebird with a very long beak that can get deep in the muck to find larva, worms and other invertebrates. I read on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology site that the pectoral muscles of this bird makes up nearly 25% of its bodyweight. And with those big flying muscles, then can reach estimated speeds of 60 MPH. I wouldn't typically think of a chunky bird like this as a speed demon, but I guess I'm wrong. I maybe see this species once or twice per year, so I was happy to see it poking around pond 5 at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve