Scientific name: Tringa stagnatilis (Bechstein, 1803)
Bird group: Waders
Field characters. 23 cm. Upperparts are buffish-grey, richly spotted with black and pale buff; crown and neck predominantly black-brown with whitish streaks; face white, throat, chest and flanks white, speckled dark grey; rest of underparts white. General appearance and behaviour best described as "elegant": more graceful than relatives, with long, slender yellow-greenish legs projecting far beyond tail in flight, needle-like, long straight blackish bill and more erect stance. In winter paler, with dark-grey crown and neck streaked with white, dark grey upperparts with white feather-margins (giving scaled impression) and white face, throat and under-parts. Adult in winter plumage resembles Common Greenshank, but latter is larger and stouter, with more robust green legs, slightly upturned bill and freckled face and throat.
Voice. On migration a soft metallic "tchew"; also various other calls, such as "tyoo", "too-eee", "chick", and a twittering trill.
Distribution. A scarce breeder in the east of the region, a vagrant in the north-west, and an uncommon passage migrant in the south-east.
Habitat. Occurs predominantly inland, near freshwater bodies on open pasture, marshes, river valleys etc. Seldom near coast.
Food. Predominantly insects and molluscs; will wade in deep water, but swims rarely.