Redshank

Tringa totanus

A feisty wader with bright orange legs, often spotted darting along shorelines and marshes across the world.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Redshank is a medium-sized wader with distinctive bright orange-red legs. Its upperparts are greyish-brown, while the underparts are white with dark streaks. The long, straight bill is orange-red at the base and black at the tip. They have a faint stripe through each eye.

During the breeding season, Redshanks display more heavily spotted and barred plumage. Females appear similar to males, although they are larger, with paler underparts.

Juveniles resemble adults but have buff-edged feathers on the upperparts, giving them a scaly appearance.

Size

Length

27cm to 29cm

Wingspan

45cm to 52cm

Weight

85g to 155g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour

White

Beak Colour

Orange Red Black

Leg Colour

Orange Red

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Redshank is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Redshank is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Redshank can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Redshank can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Redshank is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Redshank is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Redshank is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Redshank is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Redshank is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Redshank is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Redshank is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Redshank is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Redshanks inhabit coastal mudflats, saltmarshes, and estuaries, as well as inland wetlands such as flooded grasslands and the edges of freshwater lakes. They breed across Europe and Asia, from Iceland to Siberia.

In winter, many birds migrate south to Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. In the UK, Redshanks are year-round residents, with numbers boosted by winter visitors from Iceland and northern Europe.

Elevation Range

Up to 1,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Redshank. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons