The study examines the foraging behaviour of three species of shorebirds, the Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, and Marsh Sandpiper, in the Vedaranyam swamp in India. The peck rate, or the rate at which the birds peck at their food, was observed and recorded for each species. The peck rate was found to be influenced by the size of the body and beak, the nature of the feeding behaviour and ground, and the preferred dietary items. The peck rate was highest in the Little Stint and lowest in the Marsh Sandpiper, and intermediate in the Curlew Sandpiper. The peck rate was also found to increase with decreasing body size and to be independent of prey density in all species except the Marsh Sandpiper. The population of predators was influenced by the availability of prey density. The study supports the optimal foraging theory.