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Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) Alternate name(s): "Redshank" German name(s): "Rotschenkel" Size: 27-29 cm; wing span 59-66 cm Body mass: 85-155 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.18/0.30 (lean/fat)

Europe: Family Group 8 Family Group 8 Table Ruddy Turnstone Common Snipe Eurasian Woodcock Bar-tailed Godwit Black-tailed Godwit Eurasian Curlew Whimbrel Little Curlew Sanderling Temminck's Stint Little Stint Dunlin Purple Sandpiper Marsh Sandpiper Common Greenshank Common Redshank Spotted Redshank Lesser Yellowlegs Wood Sandpiper Curlew Sandpiper Common Sandpiper Green Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper Ruff Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description 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. Twitcher's tip The easiest distinction between a Common Redshank and a Spotted Redshank (in all plumages) is by the length of the bill, the latter having a longer bill than the former. The correct identification of waders ("shorebirds"), e.g. of the Calidris, Tringa, Actitis etc. 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.

Taxonomy, classification See Common Redshank at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Common Redshank is available HERE . There are several races of the Common Redshank, which is a mostly migratory species. Their overall range extends from Iceland and the British Isles in the West to the coastline of eastern China and Siberia in the East, and from Spitsbergen and northern Scandinavia to mid-latitude Asia in the North to tropical Africa, Arabia, the Indian subcontinent and south-eastern Asia, up to the Philippines and Indonesia, in the South. In the northern part of their range they are found only during the breeding season, while in the southern parts they spend the winters. There are only small coastal areas in Europe where they are found all year round. During their migration they can be found almost anywhere between breeding and wintering grounds, except for the major deserts. In Europe Common Redshanks, nominate race "totanus", are permanent residents in a relatively small number of mostly coastal wetlands. These are scattered along the Mediterranean coastline (including some Mediterranean islands), from Greece in the East to Iberia in the West, and along the Atlantic coastline from the Bay of Biscaye via the British Isles to the North Sea. There is a permanent population along the coastline of Belgium and the Netherlands and basically all of Denmark. The breeding grounds of the migratory population extend from Iceland, parts of the British Isles in the West, via western Norway and near-coastal areas around the Baltic Sea, to mid-latitude European Russia in the East. The western boundary of the continental breeding population's distribution is near the Oder/Neisse line in Germany and the upper Danube. They can be found breeding basically anywhere to the North of the Danube, the Black Sea, the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea, up to the latitude of Helsinki, Finland. Anywhere else, apart from the highest parts of the major mountain ranges, they may be seen during their migration. Common Redshanks breed in marshes, both coastal and inland, on wet meadows and moorland. During migration and while overwintering they have a strong preference for coastal wetlands.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "totanus" D. Wilczynska reports spotting a Common Redshank, nominate race "totanus", in the River Bug Landscape Park, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, in May 2018. M. Eaton reports spotting a Common Redshank, nominate race "totanus", near Tromso airport, Tromso, Norway, in June 2018. M. Eaton also found Common Redshanks, nominate race "totanus", near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, in September 2019. J. Pires reports finding Common Redshanks, nominate race "totanus", regularly during the non-breeding season in various locations in near-coastal central Portugal and sometimes also in summer. In the southern half of Portugal J. Pires often finds them in salines. M. Eaton reports spotting a Common Redshank, nominate race "totanus", at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, in September 2019. H. Dahlem-Senger found Common Redshanks, nominate race "totanus", between Harlesiel and Schilling, Ostfriesland, Germany, in June 2021. Significant numbers of Common Redshanks, nominate race "totanus", were also found at Neuharlingersiel, Ostfriesland, Germany, in September 2024. In August 2022, during a time of extreme drought, H. Dahlem-Senger found a Common Redshank, nominate race "totanus", foraging on a bank of the river Rhine, in Eltville, Hessen, Germany. C. Pears reports spotting Common Redshanks, nominate race "totanus", in Clonakilty, County York, Ireland, in August 2023. A. Sarok found Common Redshanks, nominate race "totanus", in Vojvodina, Serbia, in the timeframe 2010-2024.

Photos

Race "totanus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Lateral view of a Common Redshank in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Tromso airport, Tromso, Norway, in June 2018]

Lateral view of a Common Redshank in fresh breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Redshank in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Tromso airport, Tromso, Norway, in June 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Redshank in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Tromso airport, Tromso, Norway, in June 2018]

Dorsal view of a Common Redshank in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Tromso airport, Tromso, Norway, in June 2018]

Comparison of Common Redshanks in breeding plumage with a Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Harlesiel and Schilling, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]

Frontal/lateral view of two Common Redshanks in breeding plumage on the point of landing (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral view of a Common Redshank in breeding plumage banking to land (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

NON-BREEDING

Near-frontal view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, September 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas do Samouco, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-frontal and lateral views of Common Redshanks in non-breeding plumage foraging in coastal vegetation
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alhos Vedros, Moita do Ribatejo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2025]

Comparison of the lateral head profiles of the two species of redshank in non-breeding plumage: Common Redshank on the left; Spotted Redshank on the right (photos courtesy of J. Pires)

Lateral view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, September 2019]

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

Lateral view of a resting Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Salinas do Brito, Alcochete, Setubal, Portugal, March 2025]

Lateral view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas do Samouco, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas do Forte do Rato, Tavira, Faro, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage foraging in a mudflat (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Palhais, Barreiro, Setubal, Portugal, January 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas do Samouco, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage foraging in a mudflat (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage foraging in coastal vegetation (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Common Redshanks in non-breeding plumage foraging in a mudflat (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Clonakilty, County York, Ireland, August 2023]

Lateral view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage, with a feeding female Northern Shoveler
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, September 2019]

Dorsal view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Setubal, Portugal, January 2019]

Common Redshanks in non-breeding plumage foraging in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage in flight; note the characteristic combination of wedge-shaped white spot on the back, broad white trailing edge of the wings and finely barred tail, with protruding feet
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sado estuary, Setubal, Portugal, August 2022]

Dorsal view of a Common Redshank in non-breeding plumage just after take-off; note the characteristic wedge-shaped white patch on the back (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Setubal, Portugal, January 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile(?) Common Redshank; note the dark base of the bill and the pale fringes of the wing coverts (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ?

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary/small mob

In Europe Common Redshanks are sedentary in large parts of the southern and western European coastal areas (also in some inland locations). Elsewhere they are migratory, most of the summer migrants moving to England, parts of Scandinavia and eastern Europe.

Food, Diet

Small mob of Common Redshanks feeding in partly submerged mud (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Neuharlingersiel, Ostfriesland, Germany, September 2024]

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.

redshnk_jp_20230502.mp3	totanus (Portugal)	Contact calls	© JP
redshnk_jp_20230109.mp3	totanus (Portugal)	Contact calls	© JP
redshnk_jp_20230109.mp3	totanus (Portugal)	Contact calls	© JP
redshnk_dw_20190519.m4a	totanus (Poland)	Contact calls, in-flight	© DW
redshnk_dw_20200612_2.m4a	totanus (Poland)	Contact calls, warning, alarm/departure	© DW
redshnk_dw_20200612.m4a	totanus (Poland)	Warning calls	© DW
redshnk_dw_20210626.m4a	totanus (Poland)	Warning/alarm calls	© DW
redshnk_jp_20200720.m4a	totanus (Portugal)	?	© JP
grnshnk_jp_20230502.mp3	totanus (Portugal)	Various (+ Common Greenshank)	© JP

More Common Redshank 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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