Difference between revisions of "Lesser Yellowlegs" - BirdForum Opus

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Photo by bcurrie

Tringa flavipes

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

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.

Distribution

Breeds in Canada and the United States.

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

Taxonomy

Habitat

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

Behaviour

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

Flight

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

Breeding

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

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.

References

Wikipedia
Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

External Links

Search for photos of Lesser Yellowlegs in the gallery

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{incomplete}}
 [[Image:Lesser_Yellowlegs.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|bcurrie|bcurrie}}]]
 ;[[:Category:Tringa|Tringa]] flavipes
 ==Identification==
-Adults have long yellow legs and a long thin dark bill. The body is grey brown on top and white underneath; the neck and breast are streaked with dark brown. The tail is white.
+-25cm<br />
+*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
+====Similar Species====
+[[Image:608-03399fg Nonbreeding Lesser Yellowlegs.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|bobsofpa|bobsofpa}}<br />Non-breeding<br />[[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.
 ==Distribution==
-[[Canada]] and the [[United States]]
+'''Breeds''' in [[Canada]] and the [[United States]].
+Frequent '''vagrant''' to [[Europe]], usually in the autumn; most records are from the [[British Isles]].
 ==Taxonomy==
 ==Habitat==
 Marshes, mudflats, shores, and pond edges.  In summer, open boreal woods.
 ==Behaviour==
+[[Image:LesserYLegs9-7-08.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|onlybill|onlybill}}<br />[[Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge]], [[Texas]], [[USA]], September 2008 ]]
+====Flight====
+Trails feet in flight. Has a similar outline to [[Wood Sandpiper]].
+====Breeding====
 They nest on the ground, usually in open dry locations.
+====Diet====
-These birds forage in shallow water, sometimes using their bill to stir up the water. They mainly eat insects, small fish and crustaceans.
+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.
+==References==
+#Wikipedia
+#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
+#Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
 ==External Links==
 {{GSearch|Tringa+flavipes}}
 [[Category:Birds]]  [[Category:Tringa]]