Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
At a Glance
A big shorebird, common in Europe and Asia. There it seems to fill the same niche as our Greater Yellowlegs; it is not too different in appearance, and it even sounds similar. Common Greenshanks show up in small numbers on the Alaskan islands, mostly during spring migration.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Sandpiper-like Birds, Sandpipers
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Coasts and Shorelines, Freshwater Wetlands, Saltwater Wetlands, Tundra and Boreal Habitats
Region
Alaska and The North
Behavior
Direct Flight, Rapid Wingbeats, Running
Range & Identification
Description
12" (30.5 cm). A fairly large sandpiper, similar to Greater Yellowlegs in size and shape, but tends to be grayer and less sharply marked, with green legs. In flight, shows white triangle extending up back.
Size
About the size of a Crow, About the size of a Robin
Color
Black, Gray, White
Wing Shape
Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Rounded, Short, Square-tipped, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
A sharp tew-tew-tew, all on same pitch.
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