Common Redshank

Tringa totanus

The Common Redshank is a wading bird with long legs and a long beak. It has beautiful reddish-brown feathers and loves to be near water, where it finds tasty insects and small fish.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Common Redshank is a medium-sized, elegant wader with bright orange-red legs and a straight bill that is red at the base and dark at the tip. Its plumage is mottled brown and white, with a striking white wedge on its back visible during flight.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderCharadriiformesFamilyScolopacidaeGenusTringa

Common Redshank

Interesting facts

Newly hatched Redshank chicks can leave the nest and find food almost instantly!

Redshanks can detect prey under mud without seeing it, using special bill sensors!

Their scientific name, *totanus*, comes from a Latin name for this whistling bird.

When alarmed, they often perform a unique 'head-bobbing' display.

Special abilities

Common Redshank has a loud, distinctive alarm call that helps them warn other birds of approaching dangers.

Common Redshank can detect hidden prey by probing sensitive bill tips into mud and shallow water.

Common Redshank has mottled brown feathers that help them blend perfectly into their wetland surroundings.

Common Redshank can undertake long-distance migrations, using strong wings to travel across continents.

Measurements & details

Length: 27-31 cm
Wingspan: 59-66 cm
Weight: 0.085-0.15 kg
Lifespan: 5-10 years
Top Speed: 60 km/h
Clutch Size: 3-5
Incubation: 22-29 days
Migration Distance: 3500 km

Diet & Feeding

They mostly eat small invertebrates like worms and crustaceans found in mud and shallow water.

Primary Foods

marine worms
small crustaceans
insect larvae
molluscs
small fish

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

hunts

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

These fast falcons actively hunt adult Redshanks in open areas.

hunts

Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Herring Gulls are known to prey on Redshank eggs and young chicks.

eats

Ragworm

Hediste diversicolor

This marine ragworm is a crucial part of the Redshank's wetland diet.

eats

Green Shore Crab

Carcinus maenas

Redshanks forage for small, juvenile green shore crabs.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

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.