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Greater Yellowlegs


Picture
The Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) is in the sandpiper family.  It is a slender, grayish-brown streaked wading bird that comes in at 14 inches long.  It has a conspicuous white rump patch, and slightly upturned bill that is slightly paler at the base, and long, yellow legs.  This bird looks similar to, and is often confused with, the Lesser Yellowlegs; however, the Lesser Yellowlegs is smaller, has a shorter and straighter bill, and a different call.


This bird uses its upturned bill, swung from side to side, to help skim food from the surface of the water in which it feeds.  This behavior can be used to distinguish the Greater Yellowlegs from the Lesser Yellowlegs when viewing the birds from a distance.  It also tends to run around sporadically in the shallow water, and sometimes wades up to water the depth of its belly; it has also been known to swim at times, though this is not common.


The Greater Yellowlegs breeds on tundra and marshland.  When migrating it is found in pools, ponds, flooded fields, on the shores of lakes and in tidal mudflats.


Click here for additional information, vocalizations, and a range map.

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  • Home
  • Animals
    • Birds >
      • Avian Taxonomy
      • Bird Species Profiles
    • Mammal Species Profiles
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians >
      • Frog and Toad Species Profiles
    • Fish
    • Arthropods >
      • Arthropod Species Profiles
  • Plants
    • Native Plant Societies
    • Eastern Plant Identification Guide
  • Fungi
    • Fungi Species Profiles
  • Protists
  • Nature Products Store
  • Cell Phone Ringtones
  • Madbird Feeder Cam
  • Ramblings of the Madbird Biologist
  • Bird Videos
  • News in Science
  • Nature Inspired Recipes
  • An Introduction to Scientific Classification and Naming
  • Birds in the Classroom
  • Resources
  • About Me