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8

Common Greenshank

(Tringa nebularia)
Alternate name(s): "Greenshank"
German name(s): "Grünschenkel"

Size: 30-35 cm; wing span 65-70 cm
Weight: 130-270 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Common Greenshank at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Frontal view of a Common Greenshank in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Barreiro, Setubal, Portugal, April 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Common Greenshank moulting out of breeding plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, August 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank moulting out of breeding plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, August 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank moulting out of breeding plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, August 2019]

Lateral view of two Common Greenshanks moulting out of breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal Castro Marim, Vila Real Santo Antonio, Algarve, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank moulting into breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Alhos Vedros, Moita, Setubal, Portugal, January 2020]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank moulting into breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sado estuary, Setubal, Portugal, April 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Greenshank moulting into breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sado estuary, Setubal, Portugal, April 2019]

Distant lateral view of a Common Greenshank moulting out of breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2015]

NON-BREEDING

Near-frontal view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ria Formosa, Quinta de Marim, Olhao, Algarve, Portugal, November 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ria Formosa, Quinta de Marim, Olhao, Algarve, Portugal, November 2021]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alhos Vedros, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Montijo, Setubal, Portugal, January 2020]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Barreiro, Setubal, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alhos Vedros, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of two Common Greenshanks in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, December 2017]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas da Fuseta, Fuseta, Algarve, Portugal, November 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, December 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage; note the characteristic black spots along the white edge lining of the wing coverts (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[October 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2021]

Dorsal view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, December 2017]

Dorsal view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage; click on image to see it roosting together with Curlew Sandpipers and Common Redshanks (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Barreiro, Setubal, Portugal, in March 2019]

Lateral view of two Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage in flight; click on image to see it together with Curlew Sandpipers and Common Redshanks (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Barreiro, Setubal, Portugal, in March 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage in flight; click on image to see it together with Curlew Sandpipers and Common Redshanks (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Barreiro, Setubal, Portugal, in March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of two Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2019]

Additional information

More photos have been obtained by us in Australia and in Oman.

Food, Diet

Common Greenshank in non-breeding plumage with its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Palhais, Barreiro, Setubal, Portugal, March 2018]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

grnshnk_dw_20190819.m4a (Poland) Contact call (arrival) © DW
grnshnk_dw_20200726_3.m4a (Poland) Contact calls © DW
grnshnk_jp_20201016.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls © JP
grnshnk_dw_20200726_2.m4a (Poland) Contact calls Q&A
(+ Wood Sandpiper)
© DW
grnshnk_jp_20200722.m4a (Portugal) Contact calls (+ Common Ringed Plover) © JP
grnshnk_dw_20190819_3.m4a (Poland) Warning calls (humans on the water) © DW
grnshnk_dw_20180818.m4a (Poland) ? © DW
grnshnk_jp_20230502.mp3 (Portugal) Various (+ Common Redshank) © JP

More Common Greenshank sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.