The adult Common Greenshanks in summer plumage have the brownish-grey little-mottled crown, nape and fore-mantle; the head-sides and neck-sides are white dark streaked. The rear-mantle and rump are all white; the uppertail coverts are white brownish cross-streaked. The primaries are black with grayish edges on the inner webs; the secondaries are brownish with narrow off-white edges. The shaft of the first primary is white. The underparts are white black-brown streaked on the craw, fore-breast and flanks. The tail feathers are white with faintly dark spots, the central pair is barred brown-grey. The bill is brown or greenish-brown obvious upturned. The legs are dark-greenish. Eyes are brown. In winter plumage the dark part of plumage become paler, greyer, the streaks are less in number. Juveniles are similar adults but feathers of upperparts are with buffy edges; the craw and breast off-white with dark streaks and spots; the flanks are with cross streaks. Weight about 180 grams, wing 175-198, tarsus 53-66, bill 47-60 mm.
"Птицы Казахстана" том 2. Издательство АН КазССР. Алма-Ата, 1962.
