Common Redshank Tringa totanus Scientific name definitions

27–29 cm; 85–155 g; wingspan 59–66 cm. Slightly smaller and more compact than T. erythropus and up to 10% smaller than T. nebularia. Ash-brown upperparts, head and breast , streaked and spotted with black and dark brown; white secondaries conspicuous in flight. Differs from non-breeding <em>T. erythropus</em> by shorter, orange-red legs, shorter bill , indistinct supercilium and redder bill. Female often has paler upperparts than male, at least in race totanus, and generally larger than male (especially in wing length) (1 Ottvall, R. and Gunnarsson, G. (2007). Morphological and molecular sex identification of Redshanks Tringa totanus. Bird Study. 54(1): 127–129. Close ). Non-breeding adult has greyer upperparts , without streaks or spots, but some narrow white fringes; underparts paler, breast finely streaked. Juvenile has warm brown upperparts with buff fringes and bill dull red at base. Races generally vary only in small details of plumage and size; <em>robusta</em> and <em>ussuriensis</em> more cinnamon in breeding plumage, with robusta larger than nominate and having larger black spotting below.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Wide diversity of coastal and inland wetlands , including coastal saltmarshes, inland wet grasslands , grassy marshes and swampy heathlands. Breeds up to at least 1200 m in NW Europe (6 Østbye, E., Breiehagen, T., Mysterud, I. and Østbye, K. (2009). Occurrence and habitat choice of waders in a high mountain sedimentation flat on Hardangervidda, south Norway. Ornis Norvegica. 32: 74–90. Close ), but up to 3100 m in Armenia (7 Snow, D. W., and C. M. Perrins, Editors (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). After breeding, chiefly in coastal habitats including rocky, muddy and sandy shorelines, saltmarshes and open mudflats, salt lakes, freshwater lagoons, saltworks and sewage farms; sometimes at inland waters or flooded grasslands, and at least locally uses mangroves (8 Melville, D.S. (1990). Waders roosting in mangroves. British Birds. 83(6): 288. Close ). At a wintering site in E Scotland birds can either feed on saltmarsh or mudflats, but preferentially select the former during the harshest weather because energy intake rates are significantly higher and thermoregulatory costs much lower, despite the risk of predation by Eurasian Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) being also far greater (9 Yasué, M., Quinn, J.L. and Cresswell, W. (2003). Multiple effects of weather on the starvation and predation risk trade-off in choice of feeding location in Redshanks. Functional Ecology. 17: 727–736. Close , 10 Creswell, W. and Whitfield, D.P. (2008). How starvation risk in Redshanks Tringa totanus results in predation mortality from Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus. Ibis. 150(Suppl. 1): 209–218. Close ). In E England, birds use riverine mudflats less at night, preferring more open mudflats (perhaps to avoid nocturnal predators), and have generally larger nocturnal home ranges than diurnal ones (11 Burton, N.H.K. and Armitage, M.J.S. (2005). Differences in the diurnal and nocturnal use of intertidal feeding grounds by Redshank Tringa totanus. Bird Study. 52(2): 120–128. Close ).

Chiefly migratory, although some birds in Iceland and W Europe virtually resident and as springs become warmer earlier it is likely that birds will return to their breeding grounds earlier than formerly (12 Barrett, R.T. (2002). The phenology of spring bird migration to north Norway. Bird Study. 49(3): 270–277. Close ). Strong winter site fidelity reported in NW Europe (13 Burton, N.H.K. (2000). Winter site-fidelity and survival of Redshank Tringa totanus at Cardiff, south Wales. Bird Study. 47(1): 102–112. Close ). Much overlap between subspecies in winter range, but in general smallest birds (N Scandinavia) winter furthest S (typically W Africa), while largest (Iceland) winter on average furthest N (Iceland to North Sea). Migration through Europe is SW–SSW, except Atlantic Is; presumably on broad front overland and along coast; birds wintering in W Africa may cross Sahara on passage. In Asia, movements noted through Japan, Mongolia, E China (Chihli Plains), Hong Kong and Korea (scarce); breeders of Altai and Novosibirsk area and probably C Siberia winter in India. A few birds remain in winter quarters all year. Occurs annually in small numbers in NW & N Australia. In nominate race, W African winterers migrate N from late Apr to May, when S breeders already incubating; these S birds migrate S in Jul (adults) and mid Jul to early Aug (juveniles); N breeding birds of races totanus and robusta migrate S in Jul (adults) and mid Aug to early Sept (juveniles). Vagrant to various parts of the world, including North America, where recorded six times in late winter/spring in Newfoundland (Canada), as well as 16 records in Greenland (14 Howell, S. N. G., I. Lewington, and W. Russell (2014). Rare Birds of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ).

Insects, spiders and annelids; non-breeders also consume molluscs and crustaceans, particularly amphipod Corophium volutator; on occasion, feeds on small fish or tadpoles. Breeders in coastal SE England fed on a wide range of soil, surface-active and aquatic prey, as well as some estuarine invertebrates, being particularly weighted towards adult dipterans, Chironomidae larvae and Coleoptera larvae (15 Ausden, M., Rowlands, A., Sutherland, W.J. and James, R. (2003). Diet of breeding Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Redshank Tringa totanus on coastal grazing marsh and implications for habitat management. Bird Study. 50(3): 285–293. Close ). In S Spain, in spring Chironomus salinarius pupae and larvae dominated diet by volume, followed by Ephydridae larvae and the beetle Paracymus aenus, whereas polychaetes and molluscs dominated in autumn, and isopods in midwinter; however, in autumn, chironomid larvae, Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum seeds and Artemia cysts were relatively more abundant in faeces, but polychaetes, isopods, molluscs and cestode cysticercoids were more abundant in pellets (16 Sánchez, M.I., Green, A.J. and Castellanos, E.M. (2005). Seasonal variation in the diet of Redshank Tringa totanus in the Odiel Marshes, southwest Spain: a comparison of faecal and pellet analysis. Bird Study. 52(2): 210–216. Close ). Birds wintering in coastal Portugal preferentially selected Hydrobia ulvae, Nereis diversicolor and bivalve siphons (17 Moreira, F. (1996). Diet and feeding behaviour of Grey Plovers Pluvialis squatarola and Redshanks Tringa totanus in a southern European estuary. Ardeola. 43(2): 145–156. Close ), while at another site in SW Spain principal prey were insects, dipterans (mainly chironomids and ephydrids) and coleopterans (often Potamonecte spp. and Enochrus), with some molluscs, amphipods, ostracods and small fishes (18 Perez-Hurtado, A., J. D. Goss-Custard and F. Garcia (1997). The diet of wintering waders in Cádiz Bay, southwest Spain. Bird Study 44(1):45–52. Close ). Observed opportunistically taking African desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) in Morocco (19 Ullman, M. (2006). African Desert Locusts in Morocco in November 2004. British Birds 99(9):489–491. Close ) and in SE is known to kleptoparastize dog-faced water snakes (Cerberus rynchops), seizing prey such as blue-spotted mudskipper (Boleophthalmus boddarti) (20 Ooi, J. and Eng, T.C. (2013). Kleptoparasitism of Dog-faced Water-snakes by herons, egrets and waders. Suara Enggang. 21(4): 4–5. Close ). Like diet, feeding method varies seasonally; uses typical brisk walk while pecking ; occasionally probes, jabs or sweeps bill through water; often wades , and occasionally swims. When feeding on fish, may forage socially in dense flock, often mixed with other tringines: birds move erratically while pecking at prey or running synchronously in one direction, ploughing or scything bills through water. Feeds diurnally and nocturnally. Mostly in small flocks, occasionally many 100s, sometimes singly. May defend feeding territory.

Noisy, especially in breeding season. Display flight, which may cover more than 1 km is given by males alone, especially those that are unmated, involves bird rising to c. 40 m above ground, then engages in switchback flights. gliding down on depressed wings and rising again on vibrating wings, while singing, a rapidly and insistently repeated, loud, clear but variable “tyoo” notes, which may be sustained for several minutes, and is sometimes terminated on landing with a rapid, musical “taludl-taludl-taludl-taludl...”, with the same series sometimes given in other contexts, such as excitement, aggression and alarm. Wide variety of calls given in breeding season, including single and multiple whistles, squeals and yelps, most commonly heard being a “teu-hu-hu” with accent on first syllable, as well as a single mournful whistle, “tyuuuuuu”, lasting c. 0.5 seconds (either from ground or when taking flight, and which is most frequently given vocalization at all seasons). In response to potential predators around nest gives an incessant, high-pitched, sharp “tyuk-tyuk...” or “chip-chip...”.

Lays Apr–Jun, beginning early Apr around North Sea, mid May in Iceland and late May in N Scandinavia. Monogamous. Moderate degree of natal philopatry and, especially in experienced and successful breeders, of site faithfulness and mate fidelity. Solitary or in loose colonies; on coast up to 100–300 pairs/km², but inland usually below 10 pairs/km². Nest typically at base of tall clump of grass within generally taller vegetation (21 Mandema, F.S., Tinbergen, J.M., Ens, B.J. and Bakker, J.P. (2013). Spatial diversity in canopy height at Redshank and Oystercatcher nest-sites in relation to livestock grazing. Ardea. 101(4): 105–112. Close ), with leaves covering overhead, constructed by female (22 Harrison, C. J. O., and P. Castell (2002). Bird Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East. Second revised edition. HarperCollins, London, UK. Close ). Single-brooded, but replacement clutches laid. Clutch four eggs (3–5), laying interval 38 hours (35–43), colour cream to buff with brown or red-brown markings, mean size 45·3 mm × 31·6 mm (22 Harrison, C. J. O., and P. Castell (2002). Bird Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East. Second revised edition. HarperCollins, London, UK. Close ); incubation 22–29 days (7 Snow, D. W., and C. M. Perrins, Editors (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), by both sexes, starting on clutch completion (22 Harrison, C. J. O., and P. Castell (2002). Bird Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East. Second revised edition. HarperCollins, London, UK. Close ); chick has creamy or greyish-buff upperparts with black-brown lines , buff suffused breast and whitish underparts; both parents initially tend young; but later on often only male, and brood sometimes split up between sexes; fledging 23–35 days. Study in Poland revealed frequent facultative interspecific brood parasitism (> 59% of nests), especially early in breeding season (23 Niemczynowicz, A., Świętochowski, P., Zalewski, A. and Chętnicki, W. (2015). Facultative interspecific brood parasitism in colonial breeding waterbirds in Biebrza National Park, Poland. Waterbirds. 38(3): 282–289. Close ). Hatching success c. 14%; from hatching to fledging 20–50%; mortality may increase dramatically during cold spells, especially in combination with rain; other important causes of nest loss are trampling by cattle, predation (mainly by nocturnal/mammalian predators, with up to 60% of nests potentially predated at the egg stage in Europe) (24 Macdonald, M.A. and Bolton, M. (2008). Predation on wader nests in Europe. Ibis. 150(Suppl. 1): 54–73. Close ) and agricultural activities, notably mowing, and in some studies hatching success has been estimated to be as low as 11% due to such factors (25 Ottvall, R. (2005). Boöverlevnad hos strandängshäckande vadare: den relativa betydelsen av predation och trampskador av betesdjur [Nest survival among waders breeding on coastal meadows: the relative importance of predation and trampling damages by livestock]. Orn. Svecica. 15(1): 89–96. Close ). Mortality of first-year birds averages 55–58%, of adults c. 17–33% (26 Insley, H., Peach, W., Swann, B. and Etheridge, B. (1997). Survival rates of Redshank Tringa totanus wintering on the Moray Firth. Bird Study. 44(3): 277–289. Close , 13 Burton, N.H.K. (2000). Winter site-fidelity and survival of Redshank Tringa totanus at Cardiff, south Wales. Bird Study. 47(1): 102–112. Close ). Age of first breeding 1–2 years. Oldest ringed bird 17 years.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Overall, global population estimated at 2,261,000 at start of present century (27 Delaney, S. and D. Scott, Editors (2002). Waterbird Population Estimates. Third edition. Wetlands International Global Series No. 12. Wageningen, the Netherlands. Close ), of which 420,000 nested in Iceland (28 Gunnarsson, T.G., Gill, J.A., Appleton, G.F., Gíslason, H., Gardarsson, A., Watkinson, A.R. and Sutherland, W.J. (2006). Large-scale habitat associations of birds in lowland Iceland: implications for conservation. Biological Conservation. 128: 265–275. Close ). W Palearctic breeding population has declined since 1970, and estimated at 50,000–100,000 pairs of race robusta (1993) and 145,000–185,000 pairs of race totanus (1986–1993). Race totanus perhaps also breeds in Libya (29 Etayeb, K. S. and M. F. A. Essghaier (2007). Breeding of marine birds on Farwa Island, western Libya. Ostrich 78(2):419–421. Close ). Counts along E Atlantic flyway yielded estimates of 177,000 birds of race totanus and 109,000 of robusta (1989), with largest numbers in British Is (> 100,000 in mid 1980s and fairly stable) (30 Cayford, J.T. and Waters, R.J. (1996). Population estimates for waders Charadrii wintering in Great Britain, 1987/88–1991/92. Biological Conservation. 77(1): 7–17. Close , 31 Austin, G.E., Peachel, I. and Rehfisch, M.M. (2000). Regional trends in coastal wintering waders in Britain. Bird Study. 47(3): 352–371. Close , 32 Rehfisch, M.M., Austin, G.E., Armitage, M.J.S., Atkinson, P.W., Holloway, S.J., Musgrove, A.J. and Pollitt, M.S. (2003). Numbers of wintering waterbirds in Great Britain and the Isle of Man (1994/1995–1998/1999): II. Coastal waders (Charadrii). Biological Conservation. 112: 329–341. Close , 33 Rehfisch, M.M., Holloway, S.J. and Austin, G.E. (2003). Population estimates of waders on the non-estuarine coasts of the UK and the Isle of Man during the winter of 1997–98. Bird Study. 50(1): 22–32. Close ), Guinea-Bissau (> 70,000 in Bijagos archipelago alone, in 1986) (34 Salvig, J.C., Asbirk, S., Kjeldsen, J.P. and Rasmussen, P.A.F. (1994). Wintering waders in the Bijagos Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau 1992-1993. Ardea. 82(1): 137–142. Close ) and Mauritania (30,000–40,000 at Banc d’Arguin in early 1990s, though 70,000 in 1980) (7 Snow, D. W., and C. M. Perrins, Editors (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); considering breeding numbers, these must be underestimates. In Egypt 8000–10,000 birds, in SW Asia (mainly ussuriensis) c. 55,000 birds, in SC Asia (ussuriensis and eurhinus) probably c. 100,000 birds, and in SE & E Asia (mainly terrignotae) also in order of 100,000 birds; no figures available for race craggi, whose wintering grounds are still effectively unknown, although recent surveys in E China indicate that very few Common Redshanks occur there at this season (35 Cao, L., Tang, S., Wang, X. and Barter, M. (2009). The importance of eastern China for shorebirds during the non-breeding season. Emu. 109(2): 170–178. Close ). Decline of W Palearctic population (obvious losses in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Bulgaria, Switzerland and Ukraine) (7 Snow, D. W., and C. M. Perrins, Editors (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) mainly due to loss of winter and breeding habitats, agricultural intensification (for which some mediating proposals have been made) (36 Kruk, M., Noordervliet, M.A.W. and ter Keurs, W.J. (1996). Hatching dates of waders and mowing dates in intensively exploited grassland areas in different years. Biological Conservation. 77: 213–218. Close ), grazing pressure (37 Norris, K., Atkinson, P.W. and Gill, J.A. (2004). Climate change and coastal waterbird populations – past declines and future impacts. Ibis. 146(Suppl. 1): 82– 89 Close ), wetland drainage, flood control, afforestation, land reclamation, industrial development and encroachment of Spartina on mudflats; severe cold spells on W European wintering grounds may also have had disastrous effects (38 Mitchell, P.I., Scott, I. and Evans, P.R. (2000). Vulnerability to severe weather and regulation of body mass of Icelandic and British Redshank Tringa totanus. Journal of Avian Biology. 31(4): 511–521. Close ). UK population breeding on saltmarshes estimated to have declined by c. 23% between 1985 and 1996 (39 Brindley, E., Norris, K., Cook, T., Babbs, S., Brown, C.F., Massey, P., Thompson, R. and Yaxley, R. (1998). The abundance and conservation status of redshank Tringa totanus nesting on saltmarshes in Great Britain. Biological Conservation. 86: 289–297. Close ), while those nesting on lowland wet grasslands in England and Wales declined by 29% between 1982 and 2002 (40 Wilson, A.M., Vickery, J.A., Brown, A., Langston, R.H.W., Smallshire, D., Wotton, S. and Vanhinsbergh, D. (2005). Changes in the numbers of breeding waders on lowland wet grasslands in England and Wales between 1982 and 2002. Bird Study. 52(1): 55–69. Close ) and most recent census (in 2011) found that decrease on saltmarshes at least is still ongoing (41 Malpas, L.R., Smart, J., Drewitt, A., Sharps, E. and Garbutt, A. (2013). Continued declines of Redshank Tringa totanus breeding on saltmarsh in Great Britain: is there a solution to this conservation problem? Bird Study. 60(3): 370–383. Close , 42 Sharps, E., J. Smart, M. W. Skov, A. Garbutt, and J. G. Hiddink (2015). Light grazing of saltmarshes is a direct and indirect cause of nest failure in Common Redshank Tringa totanus. Ibis 157(2):239–249. Close ), although increases have been reported on Scottish grasslands (43 Calladine, J., Pakeman, R.J., Humphreys, E., Huband, S. and Fuller, R.J. (2014). Changes in breeding wader assemblages, vegetation and land use within machair environments over three decades. Bird Study. 61(3): 287–300. Close ). Local near-extinctions reported in Germany (44 Busche, G. (2011). Brutbestandstrends vom Großen Brachvogel (Numenius arquata) und anderen Wiesenlimikolen: starke Rückgänge auf Grünland im Westen Schleswig-Holsteins von 1968 bis 21761765. Vogelwarte. 49(1): 1–8. Close ), although the current population there (estimated at 11,000–17,500 pairs) is considered to be stable (45 Gedeon, K., C. Grüneberg, A. Mitschke, C. Sudfeldt, W. Eikhorst, S. Fischer, M. Flade, S. Frick, I. Geiersberger, B. Koop, M. Kramer, T. Krüger, N. Roth, T. Ryslavy, S. Stübing, S. R. Sudmann, S. Steffens, F. Vökler, and K. Witt (2014). Atlas Deutscher Brutvogelarten [Atlas of German Breeding Birds]. Stiftung Vogelmonitoring Deutschland und Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten, Münster, Germany. Close ) despite declining nesting success (46 Hötker, H. (2015). Überlebensrate und Reproduktion von Wiesenvögeln in Mitteleuropa [Survival rates and reproduction of meadow birds in Central Europe]. Vogelwarte. 53(2): 93–98. (In German with English summary.). Close ). Numbers breeding in Scandinavia (estimated at 40,000–80,000 pairs in Norway, 10,000–20,000 pairs in Sweden and 15,000–20,000 pairs in Finland in 1980s) (7 Snow, D. W., and C. M. Perrins, Editors (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) currently increasing (47 Lindström, Å., Green, M., Husby, M., Kålås, J.A. and Lehikoinen, A. (2015). Large-scale monitoring of waders on their boreal and Arctic breeding grounds in northern Europe. Ardea. 103(1): 3–15. Close ), range has expanded in Estonia has become more regular in Portugal (7 Snow, D. W., and C. M. Perrins, Editors (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Improvement of marginal grassland may result in declining density of breeding pairs by up to 80%. Habitat restoration schemes have been trialled in some areas (48 Hellström, M. and Berg, Å. (2001). Effects of restoration and management regime on the avifaunal composition on Swedish wet meadows. Ornis Svecica. 11: 235–252. Close ) (including agri-environment schemes) (49 Wilson, A.M., Ausden, M. and Milsom, T.P. (2004). Changes in breeding wader populations on lowland wet grasslands in England and Wales: causes and potential solutions. Ibis. 146(Suppl. 2): 32–40. Close , 50 Wilson, A., Vickery, J. and Pendlebury, C. (2007). Agri-environment schemes as a tool for reversing declining populations of grassland waders: mixed benefits from Environmentally Sensitive Areas in England. Biological Conservation. 136: 128–135. Close , 51 Breeuwer, A., Berendse, F., Willems, F., Foppen, R., Teunissen, W., Schekkerman, H. and Goedhart, P. (2009). Do meadow birds profit from agri-environment schemes in Dutch agricultural landscapes? Biological Conservation. 142: 2949–2953. Close , 52 O’Brien, M. and Wilson, J.D. (2011). Population changes of breeding waders on farmland in relation to agri-environment management. Bird Study. 58(4): 399–408. Close ) and species’ numbers on reserves are holding up well (53 Ausden, M. and Hirons, G.J.M. (2002). Grassland nature reserves for breeding wading birds in England and the implications for the ESA agri-environment scheme. Biological Conservation. 106: 279–291. Close ). Currently, winter population of E Atlantic flyway seems rather stable, but local shifts in distribution have occurred (apparently due to climate change), e.g. increasing numbers in E England and France (54 Rehfisch, M.M., Austin, G.E., Freeman, S.N., Armitage, M.J.S. and Burton, N.H.K. (2004). The possible impact of climate change on the future distributions and numbers of waders on Britain’s non-estuarine coast. Ibis. 146(Suppl. 1): 70–81. Close , 55 Quaintenne, G., Dubois, P.J., Deceuninck, B. and Mahéo, B. (2015). Limicoles côtiers hivernant en France : tendances des stationnement (198882-288213). Ornithos. 22(2): 57–71. Close ), while changes in the availability of invertebrates at coastal sites (again due to global warming) might also prove to have a future effect (56 Lawrence, A.J. and Soame, J.M. (2004). The effects of climate change on the reproduction of coastal invertebrates. Ibis. 146(Suppl. 1): 29–39. Close ).