• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Difference between revisions of "Wood Sandpiper" - BirdForum Opus

(Size. References)
(References updated)
(4 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
 
;[[:Category:Tringa|Tringa]] glareola
 
;[[:Category:Tringa|Tringa]] glareola
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
19–23 cm<br />
+
19–23 cm (7½-9 in)<br />
 
The Wood Sandpiper is a fairly small wader with a rather attenuated 'necky' appearance. It has brown upperparts and generally white underparts. The most striking plumage feature are the bold white supercilia, which show well behind the eye. The supercilia are defined by a dark brown 'cap' and a bold broad eye-stripe. It is quite a 'leggy' bird, not unlike a [[Common Redshank]], though smaller. The legs are usually pale yellowish, but can appear quite dark when the bird is feeding in mud, or in dull light. The bill is about the same length as the head and straight. The head shape is almost squarish in profile, and the neck can be extended or retracted a certain amount, changing the overall appearance. The rump has a square white patch between the dark tip of the tail and the back.
 
The Wood Sandpiper is a fairly small wader with a rather attenuated 'necky' appearance. It has brown upperparts and generally white underparts. The most striking plumage feature are the bold white supercilia, which show well behind the eye. The supercilia are defined by a dark brown 'cap' and a bold broad eye-stripe. It is quite a 'leggy' bird, not unlike a [[Common Redshank]], though smaller. The legs are usually pale yellowish, but can appear quite dark when the bird is feeding in mud, or in dull light. The bill is about the same length as the head and straight. The head shape is almost squarish in profile, and the neck can be extended or retracted a certain amount, changing the overall appearance. The rump has a square white patch between the dark tip of the tail and the back.
[[Image:Lirot 11 5.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Akihaka|Akihaka}}<br />Salo, [[Finland]], May 2008<br />Click on photo to enlarge]]
+
[[Image:wood_sandpiper.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Immature. Photo by {{user|Alok+Tewari|aloktewari}}<br />Delhi, [[India]], July 2016 ]]
 
====Similar Species====
 
====Similar Species====
 
The plumage is not unlike the American [[Lesser Yellowlegs]], though the [[Topography#Heads|supercilia]] are bolder. However, the Lesser Yellowlegs is even more 'leggy' and can remind one of a stilt.
 
The plumage is not unlike the American [[Lesser Yellowlegs]], though the [[Topography#Heads|supercilia]] are bolder. However, the Lesser Yellowlegs is even more 'leggy' and can remind one of a stilt.
Line 10: Line 10:
 
Breeds in northern [[Europe]] and northern [[Asia]];  winters in southern [[Africa]], southern [[Asia]] and [[Australia]].
 
Breeds in northern [[Europe]] and northern [[Asia]];  winters in southern [[Africa]], southern [[Asia]] and [[Australia]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
This is a [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
+
This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
 +
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Wetlands.
 
Wetlands.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
[[Image:Lirot 11 5.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Akihaka|Akihaka}}<br />Salo, [[Finland]], May 2008<br />Click on photo to enlarge]]
 
Wood sandpiper tends to be a rather active bird, often found on the margins of quite small pools, or wading hurriedly through the shallows. It often teeters in the manner of a [[Common Sandpiper]], though perhaps not quite so frequently. As it advances it pecks briefly to one side or the other, picking up tiny particles of food from the surface of the mud.
 
Wood sandpiper tends to be a rather active bird, often found on the margins of quite small pools, or wading hurriedly through the shallows. It often teeters in the manner of a [[Common Sandpiper]], though perhaps not quite so frequently. As it advances it pecks briefly to one side or the other, picking up tiny particles of food from the surface of the mud.
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
Line 23: Line 25:
 
''[[Media:Tringa glareola (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
''[[Media:Tringa glareola (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
==References==
 
==References==
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec09}}#RSPB
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}#RSPB
 
#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2014)
 
#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2014)
 
#Wikipedia
 
#Wikipedia

Revision as of 23:40, 6 September 2016

Photo by Peter Duymelinc
Luxor, Egypt, January 2005
Tringa glareola

Identification

19–23 cm (7½-9 in)
The Wood Sandpiper is a fairly small wader with a rather attenuated 'necky' appearance. It has brown upperparts and generally white underparts. The most striking plumage feature are the bold white supercilia, which show well behind the eye. The supercilia are defined by a dark brown 'cap' and a bold broad eye-stripe. It is quite a 'leggy' bird, not unlike a Common Redshank, though smaller. The legs are usually pale yellowish, but can appear quite dark when the bird is feeding in mud, or in dull light. The bill is about the same length as the head and straight. The head shape is almost squarish in profile, and the neck can be extended or retracted a certain amount, changing the overall appearance. The rump has a square white patch between the dark tip of the tail and the back.

Immature. Photo by aloktewari
Delhi, India, July 2016

Similar Species

The plumage is not unlike the American Lesser Yellowlegs, though the supercilia are bolder. However, the Lesser Yellowlegs is even more 'leggy' and can remind one of a stilt.

Distribution

Breeds in northern Europe and northern Asia; winters in southern Africa, southern Asia and Australia.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].

Habitat

Wetlands.

Behaviour

Photo by Akihaka
Salo, Finland, May 2008
Click on photo to enlarge

Wood sandpiper tends to be a rather active bird, often found on the margins of quite small pools, or wading hurriedly through the shallows. It often teeters in the manner of a Common Sandpiper, though perhaps not quite so frequently. As it advances it pecks briefly to one side or the other, picking up tiny particles of food from the surface of the mud.

Diet

The diet includes insects, worms, spiders, shellfish and small fish.

Breeding

The 4 eggs are are incubated for 22-23 days by the female. The young fledge after 29-31 days.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Tringa glareola (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. RSPB
  3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2014)
  4. Wikipedia
  5. BTO Bird Facts

Recommended Citation

External Links


Back
Top