From Opus

Breeding plumage; photo by Cristian Mihai
Location: Comana (Giurgiu), Romania, May 2008

Tringa erythropus

[edit] Identification

29-33 cm.
Bill: Red lower mandible, with black tip; slightly de-curved
Red legs
White rump
Summer Adult

• Dark grey to black body
• Upperparts spotted white

Winter Adult

• Grey-brown above
• White below
• Grey chest
• Marked white supercilium
  

Juvenile similar to the winter adult but much darker. Irregular streaks on flanks

[edit] Similar Species

Winter plumage; Photo by Andy Bright
Location: England

Can be told from winter-plumaged Common Redshank by the obvious white supercilium.

[edit] Distribution

They breed in Siberia and winter in Mediterranean Europe and Africa, China and South-east Asia.

[edit] Taxonomy

A monotypic species.

[edit] Habitat

They breed by pools, marshes and peatbogs. Winters on muddy estuaries.

[edit] Behaviour

• Feeds in deeper water than Common, lunging at prey and sweeping the bill from side to side.

[edit] Flight

Photo by Neil
Hong Kong, China, January 2007

Similar to Common Redshank but legs extend further beyond the tail.

[edit] Breeding

4 eggs are laid in a ground scrape.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes insect larvae, shrimps and worms.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
2. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
3. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

[edit] External Links