# Wandering Tattler (*Tringa incana*) The Wandering Tattler is a shorebird known for its long legs and beautiful gray feathers. It loves to walk along the coast, searching for tasty little creatures to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Wandering Tattler](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tringa_incana.jpg&width=800) Photo: Aviceda at English Wikipedia ( Original text: Tom Tarrant ), CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tringa_incana.jpg) ## Appearance The Wandering Tattler is a medium-sized shorebird with a sleek, mostly gray body, a white belly finely barred with dark gray in breeding plumage, and distinctive bright yellow legs. Its medium-long, dark bill is slightly upturned, setting it apart from other similar-sized waders. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Tringa ## Interesting facts - Its name "tattler" comes from its distinctive, loud, and whistling alarm call! - This bird is known to bob its head and tail constantly while it walks along the shore. - Unlike many shorebirds, it often nests far inland, building nests near mountain streams in the tundra. - Wandering Tattlers use their sturdy bills like tools to flip over pebbles and seaweed to uncover hidden snacks. ## Special abilities - **Rock Hopper:** Wandering Tattler can deftly leap and hop over slippery rocks to find food because of its strong legs and agile movements. - **Wave Whisperer:** Wandering Tattler has specialized foraging techniques that help them snatch small creatures from crashing waves without being swept away. - **Sonic Call:** Wandering Tattler can produce a loud, whistling "tattling" call that helps them communicate across noisy coastlines. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 25-29 cm - **Wingspan:** 50-58 cm - **Weight:** 0.08-0.17 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-12 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 23-25 days - **Migration Distance:** 10000 km ## Diet & Feeding They munch on tiny crabs, marine worms, and other small critters found along rocky shores. - **Primary Foods:** small crabs, marine worms, mollusks, aquatic insects, tiny fish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Striped Shore Crab](https://www.snappit.app/explore/striped-shore-crab) (*Pachygrapsus crassipes*) — forages for these crabs among coastal rocks. - **Eats:** Pile Worm (*Nereis vexillosa*) — probes mud and sand to extract these hidden worms. - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — a common predator of shorebirds, including tattlers. - **Eaten by:** [Western Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-gull) (*Larus occidentalis*) — large gulls can prey on tattler eggs, chicks, or even adults. ## 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. - [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. - [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. - [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 Wandering Tattler? 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 Wandering Tattler? 25-29 cm ### What is Wandering Tattler's wingspan? 50-58 cm ### How much does Wandering Tattler weigh? 0.08-0.17 kg ### How long does Wandering Tattler live? 5-12 years ### How fast can Wandering Tattler move? 80 km/h ### What does Wandering Tattler eat? They munch on tiny crabs, marine worms, and other small critters found along rocky shores. ### Where is Wandering Tattler usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Alaska SeaLife Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alaska-sealife-center) — Alaska, US · Zoo - [Koko Crater Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/koko-crater-botanical-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Maui Ocean Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/maui-ocean-center) — Hawaii, US · Zoo - [Maui Ocean Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/maui-ocean-center-hawaii) — Hawaii, US · Aquarium [View all places to see Wandering Tattler](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/wandering-tattler) ## 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: [Wandering Tattler: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wandering-tattler)