Invertebrates
Common Cockle
Cerastoderma edule
On a wide sandflat at low tide, thousands of common cockles lie buried just below the surface, each with its siphon reaching up into a film of water.
Overview
The common cockle, Cerastoderma edule, is a Not Evaluated bivalve of sandflats and muddy estuaries across the northeast Atlantic. Its ribbed shell, leaping escape, and role as food for shorebirds make it one of the most important animals of European estuaries.
A shellfish that can jump
When a starfish approaches, a cockle thrusts out its long foot and flicks itself away, a surprising escape for a shellfish that spends most of its life buried.
Status
Not Evaluated globally, though locally abundant.
Common Cockle: common questions
How do cockles escape from predators?
They flick their long, muscular foot to jump several centimetres, which helps them to escape from starfish and other predators.
What do cockles eat?
They draw in water through a siphon and strain out microscopic algae and other particles.
Why are cockles important to birds?
They are a main food for wading birds such as oystercatchers, and thousands of cockles can be eaten on a single tide.
Where is the common cockle found?
It lives on sandflats and muddy estuaries of the northeast Atlantic, from Norway and the Baltic south to West Africa.