# Common Greenshank (*Tringa nebularia*) The Common Greenshank is a beautiful bird with long legs and a long beak. It loves to wade in shallow waters looking for tasty snacks like insects and small fish. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Common Greenshank](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tringa_nebularia_-_Laem_Phak_Bia.jpg&width=800) Photo: JJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tringa_nebularia_-_Laem_Phak_Bia.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Greenshank has a sleek grey-brown body with clean white underparts and a striking white wedge up its back visible in flight. It stands on long, greenish-grey legs, with a distinct long, slightly upturned bill of the same colour. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Tringa ## Interesting facts - Common Greenshanks often nest on dry ground, hidden in tussocks of grass! - Greenshanks get their name from their bright greenish-grey legs! - Their unique upturned bill helps them probe for food in a special way! - These clever birds sometimes chase fish into shallow water to catch them! ## Special abilities - **Whistle Beacon:** Common Greenshank can emit a loud, clear whistle call that helps them communicate across vast wetlands. - **Mud Navigator:** Common Greenshank has a super-sensitive bill that helps them feel and catch hidden prey in muddy waters. - **Deep Wader:** Common Greenshank has remarkably long legs that help them wade into deeper water than many shorebirds to find food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-35 cm - **Wingspan:** 68-75 cm - **Weight:** 0.15-0.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-12 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 22-26 days - **Migration Distance:** 8000 km ## Diet & Feeding They love to eat small fish, insects, and crustaceans from shallow water or mud. - **Primary Foods:** Small fish, Crustaceans, Aquatic insects, Worms - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Adults can be predated by this swift hunter. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Foxes prey on eggs, chicks, and sometimes adults. - **Eats:** Three-spined Stickleback (*Gasterosteus aculeatus*) — Actively hunts small fish in shallow water habitats. - **Eats:** [European Green Crab](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-green-crab) (*Carcinus maenas*) — Forages for various crustaceans on tidal flats. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Greenshank? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Greenshank? 30-35 cm ### What is Common Greenshank's wingspan? 68-75 cm ### How much does Common Greenshank weigh? 0.15-0.3 kg ### How long does Common Greenshank live? 10-12 years ### How fast can Common Greenshank move? 70 km/h ### What does Common Greenshank eat? They love to eat small fish, insects, and crustaceans from shallow water or mud. ### Where is Common Greenshank usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Common Greenshank: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-greenshank)