Spotted redshank facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spotted redshank |
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| Spotted redshank in non-breeding plumage | |
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| Range of T. erythropus (Compiled by: BirdLife International and Handbook of the Birds of the World (2016) 2007) Breeding Non-breeding Vagrant (seasonality uncertain) | |
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Totanus fuscus |
The spotted redshank (Tringa erythropus) is a type of wader or shorebird. It belongs to the large bird family called Scolopacidae. The name Tringa comes from a Neo-Latin word. It was used for a different bird, the green sandpiper, way back in 1599. The word erythropus comes from ancient Greek. It means "red foot," which describes this bird well!
These birds breed in northern Scandinavia and the northern Palearctic region. When winter comes, they fly south. They travel to places like the Mediterranean Sea, parts of the British Isles, France, and warmer areas of Africa and Asia. Sometimes, they even visit Australia and North America by accident.
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About the Spotted Redshank
The spotted redshank was first described in 1764. A German zoologist named Peter Simon Pallas gave it its scientific name. This bird is a "monotypic" species. This means it does not have any different types or subspecies.
What Does It Look Like?
This is a fairly large shorebird. It grows to be about 29 to 31 centimeters (11 to 12 inches) long. Its wings can spread out between 61 and 67 centimeters (24 to 26 inches). It usually weighs from 121 to 205 grams (4.3 to 7.2 ounces).
The spotted redshank changes its look with the seasons. In summer, when it's breeding, it turns black. It has white spots on its back. But in winter, it becomes very pale, almost white. Its legs and bill are red. When it flies, you can see a white oval shape on its back.
Young spotted redshanks look a bit different. They are grey-brown with tiny white spots on top. Their undersides are pale with thin bars.
Its Call
The spotted redshank makes a creaking whistle sound. It sounds a bit like "teu-it." When it senses danger, its alarm call is "kyip-kyip-kyip."
Where Do They Live?
Spotted redshanks breed in the Arctic. They are found across a large part of the northern world. This includes areas from Lapland in the west to Chukotskaya in the east.
How They Live
Food and Feeding
Like most waders, the spotted redshank eats small bugs. It finds these tiny creatures in the mud or shallow water.
Reproduction and Nesting
Spotted redshanks build their nests in open, wet areas called boggy taiga. They make a simple scrape on the ground. The female bird lays four eggs in this nest. When it's time to breed, the bird's feathers change. They become black or dark grey with white spots. Their legs also turn a dark grey color.
Protecting the Spotted Redshank
The spotted redshank is a bird that travels long distances. It is part of an important agreement. This agreement is called the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). This agreement helps protect birds that migrate between Africa and Eurasia.
