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Description
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Snipes (Scolopacidae)
Habitat: Mediterranean basin, shores of salt ponds.
In the process of retreat of the Mediterranean Sea, its avifauna changed significantly. The disappearance of marine animals and changes in the landscape have led to the extinction of most species of seabirds in this region, and the few remaining species live exclusively along the shores of relict lakes, the salinity of which allows aquatic invertebrates to exist. One of the common species of near-water birds of the Mediterranean basin is a small sandpiper, a desert redpede, a descendant of one of the species of plovers (Charadrius) that inhabited the shores of the Mediterranean in human epoch.
It is a small bird from the starling, but it seems larger because of its long legs. The legs of this species have a very bright bright red color, clearly visible against the background of the surrounding dim landscape; thanks to this feature, birds of this species recognize their relatives even from afar.
The body of the desert redpede is painted on top in a grayish-beige color without streaks, the sides of the head and chest are white, the belly is gray. On the throat there is a wide vertical smear of black color, starting under the beak and reaching the upper chest. In case of danger, the deserted redpede prefers to lurk among plants, crouching in the sand, and takes off only at the very last moment. Escaping from the enemy, the bird flies in zigzags, sharply changing the direction of movement, and then hides on the ground.
The beak of the desert redpede is straight, thickened, brown in color. It is well suited for capturing small prey from water or sand, as well as for crushing the shells of crustaceans, insects and mollusks that feed on this species of birds. The main food of the desert redpede are the branchiopods and other small invertebrates that inhabit the coastal zone, as well as insects.
These birds reluctantly fly, preferring to run along the coastline of water bodies. The nesting sites of desert redpede are among the salty marshes and are not easily accessible to terrestial predators. Depending on the conditions and amount of precipitation, these birds undertake significant migrations through the hollow and gather near water bodies, in which favorable conditions for the development of invertebrates, which they feed, remain.
This species nests in the salt marshes surrounding the lakes; the main nesting sites are located on the shores of Lake Otranto. The mating season begins at the end of winter, before the spring rains. A pair is formed for one nesting season. Birds usually have one oviposition per year, but in wet years birds have time to do two ovipositions. The nest is a simple hole in the sand; in laying 2-4 eggs. Both parents incubate them, but more often they just stand over the oviposition, covering it from the hot sun. Incubation lasts 15 days. The chicks immediately leave the nest and follow their parents: they are able to walk and run within an hour after birth. The color of juvenile fluff camouflage is gray with black specks on the head and back, the legs are pink. After 10 days, young birds are covered with juvenile plumage, and at the age of 3 weeks they are able to fly. Their plumage at this time is indistinguishable from an adult, but the legs retain a pink color and turn red only after 5-6 months. Sexual maturity comes at the age of 1 year, life expectancy is up to 5-6 years.

Description
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Snipes (Scolopacidae)
Habitat: Mediterranean basin, shores of salt ponds.
In the process of retreat of the Mediterranean Sea, its avifauna changed significantly. The disappearance of marine animals and changes in the landscape have led to the extinction of most species of seabirds in this region, and the few remaining species live exclusively along the shores of relict lakes, the salinity of which allows aquatic invertebrates to exist. One of the common species of near-water birds of the Mediterranean basin is a small sandpiper, a desert redpede, a descendant of one of the species of plovers (Charadrius) that inhabited the shores of the Mediterranean in human epoch.
It is a small bird from the starling, but it seems larger because of its long legs. The legs of this species have a very bright bright red color, clearly visible against the background of the surrounding dim landscape; thanks to this feature, birds of this species recognize their relatives even from afar.
The body of the desert redpede is painted on top in a grayish-beige color without streaks, the sides of the head and chest are white, the belly is gray. On the throat there is a wide vertical smear of black color, starting under the beak and reaching the upper chest. In case of danger, the deserted redpede prefers to lurk among plants, crouching in the sand, and takes off only at the very last moment. Escaping from the enemy, the bird flies in zigzags, sharply changing the direction of movement, and then hides on the ground.
The beak of the desert redpede is straight, thickened, brown in color. It is well suited for capturing small prey from water or sand, as well as for crushing the shells of crustaceans, insects and mollusks that feed on this species of birds. The main food of the desert redpede are the branchiopods and other small invertebrates that inhabit the coastal zone, as well as insects.
These birds reluctantly fly, preferring to run along the coastline of water bodies. The nesting sites of desert redpede are among the salty marshes and are not easily accessible to terrestial predators. Depending on the conditions and amount of precipitation, these birds undertake significant migrations through the hollow and gather near water bodies, in which favorable conditions for the development of invertebrates, which they feed, remain.
This species nests in the salt marshes surrounding the lakes; the main nesting sites are located on the shores of Lake Otranto. The mating season begins at the end of winter, before the spring rains. A pair is formed for one nesting season. Birds usually have one oviposition per year, but in wet years birds have time to do two ovipositions. The nest is a simple hole in the sand; in laying 2-4 eggs. Both parents incubate them, but more often they just stand over the oviposition, covering it from the hot sun. Incubation lasts 15 days. The chicks immediately leave the nest and follow their parents: they are able to walk and run within an hour after birth. The color of juvenile fluff camouflage is gray with black specks on the head and back, the legs are pink. After 10 days, young birds are covered with juvenile plumage, and at the age of 3 weeks they are able to fly. Their plumage at this time is indistinguishable from an adult, but the legs retain a pink color and turn red only after 5-6 months. Sexual maturity comes at the age of 1 year, life expectancy is up to 5-6 years.