From Opus

Photo by bcurrie
Near Corinne, Utah, July 2003

Tringa flavipes

[edit] Identification

23-25cm

• Bright long yellow legs in all plumages

Adults

• Upperparts grey-brown with white spotting
• Long, thin dark bill, which is virtually straight
• Underparts white
• Neck and breast have dark brown streaks
• The tail is white with darker barring
• Square white rump
• Very short supercillium

[edit] Similar Species

Photo by bobsofpa
Non-breeding
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA, April 2008

Larger Greater Yellowlegs; Common Redshank, which has red legs; Wood Sandpiper which may occasionally show yellowish (rather than green legs), but has a longer supercillium.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds in Alaska, Canada and the United States. Winters to Tierra del Fuego and Galapagos

Frequent vagrant to Europe, usually in the autumn; most records are from the British Isles.

[edit] Taxonomy

Monotypic^[1]

[edit] Habitat

Marshes, mudflats, shores, and pond edges. In summer, open boreal woods.

[edit] Behaviour

Photo by onlybill
Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, USA, September 2008

[edit] Flight

Trails feet in flight. Has a similar outline to Wood Sandpiper.

[edit] Breeding

They nest on the ground, usually in open dry locations.

[edit] Diet

Their main diet consists of insects, small fish and crustaceans which they gather from shallow water. They sometimes use their bill to agitate the water.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Wikipedia
3. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

[edit] External Links