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Common Redshanks are medium-sized waders. Their plumage is highly cryptic. During the breeding season Common Redshanks are heavily streaked dark greyish-brown all over, with some off-white in between. The head and the upperparts, except the rump/back, are darker than the underparts. The tail is barred black-and-white, while the dark grey-brown flight feathers show as a dark bar next to the tail. The eyebrows (supercilia) are almost invisible. During the non-breeding season the head and neck are light greyish-brown, while the rest of the front (chest, belly, vent, undertail coverts) is off-white with some diffuse darker mottling. The upperparts are darker greyish-brown, with white up the back in the form of a wedge and a black-and-white barred uppertail. From the side the dark primary wing feathers are visible only as a thin dark bar next to the tail. They have inconspicuous, diffuse supercilia. All year round the legs and feet are carrot-red and the bill has a carrot-red base with a black tip. The irises are brown. Juveniles have a front that is similar to that of breeding adults, with heavy streaking. The wing coverts are darker than those of adult birds, with prominent rufous edge-lining. The legs and feet of juveniles are yellow-orange and the bill is darker than in adults.

The correct identification of waders ("shorebirds"), e.g. of the Calidris, Tringa, Actitis and related families or of the Charadrius, Pluvialis and related genera in the field can be quite tricky. We have therefore made an attempt to give some advice HERE.

Common Redshanks are vagrants to Australia from the North. Most sightings are reported from the North-west coastline, from about Karratha, WA, to Darwin, NT, Roebuck Bay, WA, being particularly favoured. A few records also exist from the East and South coast of the continent.

Outside their breeding season, in Australia, Common Redshanks have a preference for coastal habitats, such as intertidal wetlands, especially mudflats.

Race "totanus"