Scientific name: Actitis hypoleucos (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Waders
Field characters. 20 cm. Resembles Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper, but with shorter legs and more 'pot-bellied'. Upperparts in summer brown with black arrows and chevrons, in winter greyer and plainer. Underparts white, breast always with conspicuous dark areas on sides, almost forming closed breast band. Pale supercilium and black eye-stripe. White wing bar obvious in flight. Bill rather long with pale base, only slightly curved, legs fleshy-green or greyish. Juvenile resembles adult, but with black and yellowish feather edgings, without black marks of adult. Continuously bobs its rear while on the ground, whether feeding or walking. Mainly alone or in twos, but on migration often in small flocks. Flight very characteristic, low over water with jerky vibrating wing beats and short glides on stiff, lowered wings.
Voice. Call high 'hee dee dee'. Song repetition of calls, interspersed with very high long-drawn whistle 'heeeeeee'.
Distribution. Quite common summer visitor throughout region. Winters in Mediterranean region and further south.
Habitat. During breeding season along brooks and lakes, often with rocks and boulders. On migration and in winter in variety of habitats but always near water.
Food. Invertebrates, caught near, along or in shallow water.