Greater Yellowlegs

Overview

Greater Yellowlegs: Large sandpiper with mottled brown, gray, and white upperparts. Underparts are white with dark streaks, spots. Bill is slightly upturned. Legs are long and bright yellow. Long barred tail and white rump are conspicuous in flight. Swift direct flight, sometimes at great heights.

Range and Habitat

Greater Yellowlegs: Breeds from south-central Alaska to Newfoundland. Spends winters mainly along coasts from Washington State and Virginia southward, and along the Gulf coast. Breeds on tundra and marshy ground; frequents pools, lakeshores, and tidal mudflats on migration.

INTERESTING FACTS

Although the Greater Yellowlegs is common and widespread, its low densities and tendency to breed in inhospitable, mosquito-ridden muskegs make it one of the least-studied shorebirds on the continent.
They often feed actively, running after fish or other fast-moving aquatic prey.
A group of yellowlegs are collectively known as an "incontinence" of yellowlegs.

The Greater Yellowlegs has a large range, estimated globally at 4,100,000 square kilometers. It is native to the Americas and nearby island nations, though it has been spotted throughout Europe and Asia. This bird prefers forest, shrubland, wetland, and marine ecosystems, though it has been known to live near water storage areas and flooded agricultural land. The global population of this bird is estimated to be 100,000 individuals and the population does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. Because of its population status, the current evaluation level of the Greater Yellowlegs is Least Concern.