# Lesser Yellowlegs (*Tringa flavipes*) The Lesser Yellowlegs is a small, wading bird with long legs and a long bill. It loves to hunt for food in shallow waters and can be seen running around the edges of ponds and marshes. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Lesser Yellowlegs](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lesser_Yellowlegs.jpg&width=800) Photo: Wwcsig, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lesser_Yellowlegs.jpg) ## Appearance The Lesser Yellowlegs is a slender shorebird with strikingly long, bright yellow legs and a thin, dark bill. It has a speckled grey-brown back, a white belly, and finely barred flanks. Its overall paler appearance helps distinguish it from similar species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Tringa ## Interesting facts - Their loud "tew-tew-tew" call acts like an alarm for other birds to watch out! - These birds fly almost non-stop for days during their incredibly long migrations! - They use their super sensitive bills to "feel" for yummy worms hidden under the mud! - Young yellowlegs can leave their nest and find food all by themselves just hours after hatching! ## Special abilities - **Stilt Walker Power:** Lesser Yellowlegs can wade into deeper waters because of their incredibly long legs that help them reach food other birds can't. - **Quick Stab Strike:** Lesser Yellowlegs can snatch tiny prey swiftly because of their slender, sharp bills that help them grab insects and small fish. - **Migration Master:** Lesser Yellowlegs has incredible endurance that helps them fly thousands of kilometers between their breeding and wintering grounds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 23-28 cm - **Wingspan:** 58-64 cm - **Weight:** 0.06-0.1 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-12 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 22-23 days - **Migration Distance:** 8000 km ## Diet & Feeding A tiny hunter, they feast on insects and small aquatic animals found in shallow water. - **Primary Foods:** Aquatic insects, Small fish, Crustaceans, Marine worms, Tadpoles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Adult Lesser Yellowlegs can be hunted by this swift raptor. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Foxes sometimes prey on eggs and chicks from ground nests. - **Eats:** Three-spined Stickleback (*Gasterosteus aculeatus*) — Small fish like sticklebacks are a common food source for this bird. - **Eats:** Lake Midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Larvae of these aquatic insects are a key part of their diet. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [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. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [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. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lesser Yellowlegs? 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 Lesser Yellowlegs? 23-28 cm ### What is Lesser Yellowlegs's wingspan? 58-64 cm ### How much does Lesser Yellowlegs weigh? 0.06-0.1 kg ### How long does Lesser Yellowlegs live? 5-12 years ### How fast can Lesser Yellowlegs move? 60 km/h ### What does Lesser Yellowlegs eat? A tiny hunter, they feast on insects and small aquatic animals found in shallow water. ### Where is Lesser Yellowlegs usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Brooks River Archeological District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooks-river-archeological-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Compo–Owenoke Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/compo-owenoke-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Illinois Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/illinois-street-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/august-a-busch-memorial-conservation-area) — Missouri, US · Nature Reserve - [Saltville Battlefields Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saltville-battlefields-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/natchitoches-national-fish-hatchery-louisiana) — Louisiana, US · Zoo [View all places to see Lesser Yellowlegs](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/lesser-yellowlegs) ## 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: [Lesser Yellowlegs: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lesser-yellowlegs)