28-3-2025 BUNDALA NAT PARK, SRI LANKA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

The Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia, presents itself as a graceful wader from the extensive Scolopacidae family. Its name, derived from the Neo-Latin term for the green sandpiper and the Latin for "mist," alludes to its marshy dwellings. In breeding plumage, it dons a brown attire, while in winter, it adopts a more subdued grey-brown. Notably larger than its cousin, the Common Redshank, it boasts long greenish legs and a long bill with a grey base, which appears upturned when the bird is in water.

Upon sighting, one may observe the white wedge on its back during flight. The bill's shape is distinctive, and its size is a helpful indicator, being somewhat larger than the Common Redshank. The bird's call, a rapid succession of three short fluty notes, can be transcribed as "teu-teu-teu."

The Common Greenshank favors dry ground adjacent to marshy areas for breeding, indicative of its preference for damp environments.

27-12-2023 KOTU CREEK, GAMBIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

The common greenshank (Tringa nebularia ) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name Tringa is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek trungas, a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbing wading bird mentioned by Aristotle. The specific nebularia is from Latin nebula "mist". Like the Norwegian Skoddefoll, this refers to the greenshank's damp marshy habitat. 

Its closest relative is the greater yellowlegs, which together with the spotted redshank form a close-knit group. Among them, these three species show all the basic leg and foot colours found in the shanks, demonstrating that this character is paraphyletic. They are also the largest shanks apart from the willet, which is altogether more robustly built. The greater yellowlegs and the common greenshank share a coarse, dark, and fairly crisp breast pattern as well as much black on the shoulders and back in breeding plumage.

This is a subarctic bird, breeding from northern Scotland eastwards across northern Europe and east across the Palearctic. It is a migratory species, wintering in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Australasia, usually on fresh water. It breeds on dry ground near marshy areas, laying about four eggs in a ground scrape.

Common greenshanks are brown in breeding plumage, and grey-brown in winter. When in water, they can appear very similar to marsh sandpipers but are distinguished by the shape of the lower bill which gives it an upturned appearance to the bill. They have long greenish legs and a long bill with a grey base. They show a white wedge on the back in flight. They are somewhat larger than the related common redshank. The usual call is a rapid series of three short fluty notes syllabilized as teu-teu-teu.

Like most waders, they feed on small invertebrates, but will also take small fish and amphibians.

20-12-2023 ALLAHEIN RIVER, SENEGAL - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

Its closest relative is the greater yellowlegs, which together with the spotted redshank form a close-knit group. Among them, these three species show all the basic leg and foot colours found in the shanks, demonstrating that this character is paraphyletic. They are also the largest shanks apart from the willet, which is altogether more robustly built. The greater yellowlegs and the common greenshank share a coarse, dark, and fairly crisp breast pattern as well as much black on the shoulders and back in breeding plumage.

This is a subarctic bird, breeding from northern Scotland eastwards across northern Europe and east across the Palearctic. It is a migratory species, wintering in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Australasia, usually on fresh water. It breeds on dry ground near marshy areas, laying about four eggs in a ground scrape.

31-8-2022 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, ALBUFERA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/3878-Tringa-nebularia

25-4-2022 KOTU, GAMBIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/3878-Tringa-nebularia

17-4-2022 MANDINA LODGE, GAMBIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/3878-Tringa-nebularia

13-4-2021 DEVESES, VALENCIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/3878-Tringa-nebularia

 

2-11-2020 DEVESA, VALENCIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/3878-Tringa-nebularia

 

24-4-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

17-10-2018 DEVESA, VALENCIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

11-10-2017 DEVESA, VALENCIA - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

The Common Greenshank, Tringa nebularia, presents itself as a graceful wader from the extensive Scolopacidae family. Its name, derived from the Neo-Latin term for the green sandpiper and the Latin for "mist," alludes to its marshy dwellings. In breeding plumage, it dons a brown attire, while in winter, it adopts a more subdued grey-brown. Notably larger than its cousin, the Common Redshank, it boasts long greenish legs and a long bill with a grey base, which appears upturned when the bird is in water.

Upon sighting, one may observe the white wedge on its back during flight. The bill's shape is distinctive, and its size is a helpful indicator, being somewhat larger than the Common Redshank. The bird's call, a rapid succession of three short fluty notes, can be transcribed as "teu-teu-teu."

The Common Greenshank favors dry ground adjacent to marshy areas for breeding, indicative of its preference for damp environments.

A subarctic species, the Common Greenshank breeds from northern Scotland, spreading east across northern Europe and the Palearctic. It is migratory, seeking winter refuge in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Australasia, typically near freshwater.

This bird is migratory, breeding on dry ground near marshy areas and laying about four eggs in a ground scrape.

The bird's vocalizations consist of a series of three short fluty notes, which can be heard as "teu-teu-teu."

The Common Greenshank nests on dry ground in proximity to marshes, where it lays approximately four eggs in a simple ground scrape.

The Marsh Sandpiper may appear similar when the Common Greenshank is in water, but the latter's bill shape is a distinguishing feature.

The diet of the Common Greenshank includes small invertebrates, and it will opportunistically consume small fish and amphibians.

The IUCN lists the Common Greenshank as Least Concern, indicating a stable population. However, under the Australian EPBC Act, it was listed as Endangered in 2024. It is also a subject of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).

5-7-2017 SANTA POLA, ALICANTE - COMMON GREENSHANK (Tringa nebularia)

The common greenshank (Tringa nebularia) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name Tringa is the Neo-Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek trungas, a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbing wading bird mentioned by Aristotle. The specific nebularia is from Latin nebula "mist". Like the Norwegian Skoddefoll, this refers to the greenshank's damp marshy habitat.

This is a subarctic bird, breeding from northern Scotland eastwards across northern Europe and east across the Palearctic. It is a migratory species, wintering in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Australasia, usually on fresh water. It breeds on dry ground near marshy areas, laying about four eggs in a ground scrape.