Sandpipers · Shorebirds
Common Greenshank
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Tringa nebularia
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Voice
Call
Sonothèque ADVL
Call
Jochem verweij
Call
Jochem verweij
How to recognize it
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35 cm, a little larger than a redshank
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Long greenish legs
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Long bill, slightly upturned
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White wedge on the back in flight
About the species
The Common Greenshank moves through shallow water with long greenish legs and a long bill that tips slightly upward. In breeding plumage it looks brown, then turns grey-brown in winter.
It is wary and usually keeps a cautious distance. Its call is a quick series of three short notes, often written as "teu-teu-teu".
It lives around marshes, small waters, rivers, and damp ground near them. It feeds on small invertebrates, and also takes small fish and amphibians. In summer it breeds in northern Europe and across northern Asia, then moves south for winter to Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Australasia.
Where to find
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Along pond edges, canals, and small rivers — especially where there’s soft mud, look for quick steps and the head-bobbing stance.
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At marshy corners and around weirs early in the morning — feeding in shallow water, darting at prey with a long bill.
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In large city parks with quiet backwaters and sedge patches — it may stand almost motionless on a muddy margin, scanning for small invertebrates.
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On open banks after rain — probing puddles and wet mud for worms and larvae.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Tringa nebularia Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Common greenshank Encyclopedia article