Sandpipers · Shorebirds
Common Redshank
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Tringa totanus
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Voice
Song
Jochem verweij
Call
Sonothèque ADVL
Call
Noé Ferrari
How to recognize it
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30 cm, slightly smaller than a common greenshank
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Long red-orange legs, orange bill with black tip
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Brown upperparts with black and grey mottling
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In flight, broad white wing stripe; loud piping call "tsee-tsee"
About the species
Common Redshank looks neat and slim, with long reddish legs and quiet brown-grey plumage. In flight, a white strip along the wing edge stands out well, while on the ground it usually keeps an unhurried, tidy bearing.
In spring the male performs display flights and sings, so it is often easier to notice by sound than by sight. Outside the breeding season it gives a pleasant piping call, and in general it stays wary and alert.
It uses coasts, small waters, marshes, and flooded meadows. It feeds on insects, worms, snails, and other small creatures picked from shallow water, and in winter it often moves south or to milder coastal areas.
Where to find
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Along pond edges, canal banks, or even a rain puddle on a wet lawn — feeding with quick steps in the shallows, often bobbing its long bill.
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On muddy shores and beside reed beds — the sharp piping call gives it away before the reddish legs are seen.
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On floodplain meadows and damp vacant lots after rain — running through short wet grass in search of worms and snails.
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Near bridges and on hard riverfront edges — pausing on open perches to scan the waterline.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Tringa totanus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Common redshank Encyclopedia article