Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia (Gunnerus, 1767)

2012-05-13 Sorbulak lake, Almaty region	© Vassiliy Fedorenko

Description

The adult Common Greenshanks in summer plumage have the brownish-grey little-mottled crown, nape and fore-mantle; the head-sides and neck-sides are white dark streaked. The rear-mantle and rump are all white; the uppertail coverts are white brownish cross-streaked. The primaries are black with grayish edges on the inner webs; the secondaries are brownish with narrow off-white edges. The shaft of the first primary is white. The underparts are white black-brown streaked on the craw, fore-breast and flanks. The tail feathers are white with faintly dark spots, the central pair is barred brown-grey. The bill is brown or greenish-brown obvious upturned. The legs are dark-greenish. Eyes are brown. In winter plumage the dark part of plumage become paler, greyer, the streaks are less in number. Juveniles are similar adults but feathers of upperparts are with buffy edges; the craw and breast off-white with dark streaks and spots; the flanks are with cross streaks. Weight about 180 grams, wing 175-198, tarsus 53-66, bill 47-60 mm.

Distribution

On migration the Common Greenshank occurs throughout in water-marsh countries of Kazakhstan both on plains and in mountains. It winters on the extreme south of Kazakhstan.

Biology

The Common Greenshank is rare passage migrant. Occurs on river banks, on grassy or bare shore of lakes and other reservoirs. Appears in end February – early March in southern areas, and in April – early May in northern ones. Migrates in small groups of up to dozen birds, latest spring migrants were observed in end May. Autumn migration begins on July, most birds leave northern areas until end September, though singles recorded in mid-October. In southern areas, they are not rare in early November, and some birds winter in southernmost Kazakhstan on Keles and Chirchik rivers. On December 18-21 2003 three birds recorded on Chardara reservoir.

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 2. Издательство АН КазССР. Алма-Ата, 1962.
Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.
Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.