Baird's sandpiper Laguna Colorada Bolivia
by James Brunker
Title
Baird's sandpiper Laguna Colorada Bolivia
Artist
James Brunker
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
A Baird's sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) looks for food in the muddy shore of Laguna Colorada (or "Red Lagoon") in southwest Bolivia. This small sandpiper breeds in the tundras of northern North America and Siberia and migrates south outside the breeding season, when they can be seen in much of the Andes and southern South America.
Laguna Colorada is one of the most spectacular of the mineral lakes in southwestern Bolivia. It is in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve (Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Abaroa in Spanish, often referred to locally by its Spanish acronym REA), The lake covers around 60 square km but is less than 1m deep. The unusual colour is caused by natural red sediments and the pigment of the algae species in the water and changes according to the sunlight angle, wind conditions and time of day. The lake is the main breeding site of the endangered James flamingo (around 25-30% of the world population) and home to many other waterbirds and is a Ramsar wetland site.
Photograph © James Brunker. Reproduction, transmission or publication in any form without prior written permission strictly prohibited.
Uploaded
December 8th, 2023
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