Greater Yellowlegs vs Lesser Yellowlegs (1 Viewer)

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Dave S

Corporate Lacky

• May 22, 2004

• #1

The only book I have with info on these shows two very similar pictures, yet cites that the main distinguishing feature other than size is the lenght of the bill. Unfortunately, the photo present of the greater and lesser both have similar length bills (porportionally).

Any clues as to which one this is?:

 

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cuckooroller

Registered User

• May 22, 2004

• #2

Looks like flavipes to me. A little hard to judge because the head is turned away and down. To eyeball this one I usually cut an immaginary line from where the forehead ends vertically on top of the bill insertion down through the chin (and so it includes the cone of the bill insertion along with the bill). Then I measure the head onto what I have cut off. The flavipes bill is about 1.25 - 1.40 X the head, anything more (usually much more because the bill is noticeably longer on melanoleuca ,about 1.65 to 1.8 X the head) is the Greater YL.

 

Last edited: May 22, 2004

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 22, 2004

• #3

Hard call, but I think I'll go the other way, for T. melanoleuca - note the stout bill, with a hint of a paler base, and the fairly extensive barring on the flanks. Overall, it has the look of quite a bulky bird too, in European terms comparable to a Greenshank (same size as Greater Y'legs), not slim like a Marsh Sandpiper (same size as Lesser Y'legs). And a short primary extension, too, tho' that may not be too useful.

Michael

 

Rasmus Boegh

BF member

• May 22, 2004

• #4

I'm for Greater. As mentioned by Michael, note extent of the fairly heavy barring (almost stripes) on flanks. Bill is hard to call, but seems fairly heavy compared to the Lesser I have seen. This fits better with the Greater that I saw regualarly in SA, often in companionship with Lesser. Finally, dark streaks often appear much denser on the neck of Lesser. Hence, Lesser often appear to have a neck that is darker than Greater's.

 

Last edited: May 22, 2004

cuckooroller

Registered User

• May 22, 2004

• #5

I admit I'm lazy on differentiating these two and rely too much on the bill length and on this one it's not a good profile. I will have to take your indications and try to learn them as well as bill length is not enough. Will study it from my database later tonight.

 

M Cowming

Well-known member

• May 22, 2004

• #6

Greater Yellowlegs for me. This bird just appears too bulky as previously mentioned not to mention the strength of the bill. Lesser yellowlegs is a much slighter bird and I think the barring on the flanks clinch it.

 

B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• May 22, 2004

• #7

My immediate reaction to the bird's structure was Greater. The posts above confirm it on plumage.

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 22, 2004

• #8

Another vote for greater.... as evr with me a gut reaction based on jizz... this looks a big bird and has a hint of Greenshank to it.

 

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• May 23, 2004

• #9

Having only seen both yellowlegs on drawings and photographs but not in life I got the impression that there is some similarity to Greenshank in Greater YL and some similarity to Marsh Sandpiper in Lesser YL. Therefore I would also go for Greater Yellowlegs here.

 

M

mountain man

Guest

• May 23, 2004

• #10

Another vote for Greater.

The bill is just too thick and not needle-like as in Lesser and, as Joern said, Marsh Sand.

 

Larry Lade

Moderator

• May 23, 2004

• #11

I also feel that the photo of the bird is a Greater Yellowlegs for the reasons sited above. I live on a major migratory flyway and see hundreds of Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs each year.

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• May 23, 2004

• #12

... I like those bill (or beak) stats, though, Steve. I wrote 'em in my book.

 

cuckooroller

Registered User

• May 23, 2004

• #13

Charles and All,

Isn't the first stringer for me. I'll have to get up to speed on this one! Shorebirds are certainly not my forte.

 

G

godwit

Well-known member

• May 23, 2004

• #14

As a couple of people have pointed out the flank barring is an easy shortcut on breeding birds like this - obvious in Greater, none or virtually none in Lesser.

Dave

 

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Edward woodwood

Member

• May 23, 2004

• #15

Greater

having been lucky and seen lots of both in the field in recent years I've noticed many more Lessers mistaken for Greaters than vice versa. In pix it's still tricky though for non breeders, but in real life I've found Greaters to stand out fairly well. If you're not sure in the field it's probably a Lesser.

Lessers can show quite a bit of barring on the flanks.....