Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia (Gunnerus, 1767)

≈35 cmLength61 cmWingspan187 gWeight

This bird has long green legs and feet and a long bill, with one white wedge on the back in flight.

Busiest months: April and September · Most records: China, Spain, United Kingdom

Looks like Marsh Sandpiper

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Legs and feet long and green
Bill long with a gray base; lower edge gives it an upturned appearance
White wedge-shaped patch on the back in flight
Breeding plumage rufous; winter plumage gray-rufous

Voice

A rapid series of three short notes, sounding like “teu-teu-teu”.

Similar species

Marsh Sandpiper

The two look similar in water; the shape of the bill's lower edge is a clue: Common Greenshank's bill looks upturned.

Where and when it's recorded

Common Greenshank has been recorded at 2,921 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 157 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Txingudi – PlaiaundiSpain5,257 records
Western Treatment PlantAustralia4,405 records
International Birding and Research Center Eilat (IBRCE)Israel4,182 records

More places

Mai Po Nature ReserveHong Kong (China)4,039 records
Eilat – KM20 Flamingo Pools 20Israel3,219 records
Urdaibai RB – bird center y laguna de OruetaSpain3,209 records
Desembocadura del Guadalhorce – ÁreaSpain3,044 records
Aogu Wetland IBATaiwan (China)2,207 records
Pak Thale Nature ReserveThailand2,081 records
Sungei Buloh Wetland ReserveSingapore1,816 records

Countries and regions with the most records

China Spain United Kingdom Australia India Portugal Israel Thailand

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The common greenshank (Tringa nebularia) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The specific nebularia is from Latin nebula "mist". Like the Norwegian Skoddefoll, this refers to the greenshank's damp marshy habitat.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Common Greenshank?

The Common Greenshank is about ≈35 cm long, with a wingspan of 61 cm and weighs around 187 g.

Where does the Common Greenshank live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic: inland and coastal subarctic to temperate taiga wetlands of Palearctic: northern Europe to eastern Siberia: Scotland, Scandinavia and Baltic states east through temperate Russia to Chukotskiy Peninsula, Kamchatka and Amurland (southeastern Russia). It is most often recorded in China, Spain and United Kingdom.

When is the best time to see the Common Greenshank?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April and September (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Common Greenshank endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Common Greenshank as Least Concern.

What does the Common Greenshank eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Common Greenshank in?

It belongs to the family Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Length: ≈35 cm
Wingspan: 61 cm
Weight: 187 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Migratory
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 185 mm
Tail: 75 mm
Bill: 64 mm
Tarsus: 58 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Palearctic: inland and coastal subarctic to temperate taiga wetlands of Palearctic: northern Europe to eastern Siberia: Scotland, Scandinavia and Baltic states east through temperate Russia to Chukotskiy Peninsula, Kamchatka and Amurland (southeastern Russia)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2