Tringa erythropus
The Spotted Redshank, *Tringa erythropus*, is an elegant and slender shorebird belonging to the sandpiper family Scolopacidae, easily recognized by its strikingly distinct seasonal plumages. Averaging 29-33 cm (11-13 in) in length with a wingspan of 59-66 cm (23-26 in) and weighing between 85-200 g, it boasts long, reddish-orange legs and a fine, dark bill that is slightly drooped at the tip and often shows a red base in breeding adults. During the breeding season, adults undergo a dramatic t...
Breeds on Arctic and subarctic taiga bogs, open tundra, and marshy moorland; winters primarily on coastal estuaries, tidal mudflats, saline lagoons, and freshwater wetlands.
Feeds predominantly on aquatic invertebrates including insect larvae, crustaceans, and marine worms, supplementing its diet with small fish.
Typically diurnal, the Spotted Redshank forages actively during daylight hours, often extending into crepuscular periods, and roosts communally at high tide or during non-foraging times. Its foraging strategies are diverse, including swift probing in soft mud, scything its bill through shallow wa...
The Spotted Redshank breeds across the northern Palearctic, from Fennoscandia eastward through the taiga and tundra zones of Russia and Siberia, reaching as far as the Bering Sea. Following breeding, these birds undertake extensive migrations, fanning out to winter across a vast array of regions ...
Least Concern
- The Spotted Redshank undergoes one of the most dramatic plumage changes of any European wader, transforming from a pale grey winter bird to a striking sooty-black breeding spectacle. - Unlike many shorebirds, the male Spotted Redshank often takes on the primary role of incubating the eggs and c...