Scientific name: Tringa glareola Linnaeus, 1758
Bird group: Waders
Field characters. 20 cm. Looks like Green Sandpiper, but is smaller, more graceful and brown rather than black. Upperparts dark brown with bold white spots. Head and neck as upperparts, but less spotted. Breast streaked brown-grey. Has a prominent white supercilium. Underparts white. Tail more densely barred than in Green Sandpiper. In-flight pattern similar to Green Sandpiper, with no wing bar and an obvious white rump, but is much lighter coloured and underwings are greyish instead of black. Legs are yellow, or sometimes greenish yellow, and longer than in Green Sandpiper. The bill is medium sized and dark. In winter, the plumage is much greyer and the spots are smaller. Juvenile like adult, but legs more greenish and has buff instead of white spots. Is usually found alone or in small flocks in muddy and swampy places. Usually, Wood Sandpipers are less shy than Green Sandpipers, but they are noisy and easily excited, and often fly around calling loudly when disturbed.
Voice. Most characteristic call a clear 'chiff-iff-iff', higher and shriller than call of Green Sandpiper. Song is a ringing, repeated 'whirrrrru-whiruuuu'.
Distribution. Common in breeding habitat. Outside its breeding range it occurs more widespread in a variety of fresh water areas, especially on passage in late spring and early autumn.
Habitat. During breeding season found in swamps and marshes, near small lakes or streams, preferably with trees nearby, in which it often perches. Outside breeding season found in a variety of wet well vegetated places, but usually avoids any marine habitats.
Food. Mainly invertebrates (like insects, worms, molluscs), but also small fish and frogs.