Common redshank
Scientific name: Tringa totanus
- How weight is recorded: Whole weight
Field notes
Appearance
Medium-sized wader with distinctive long, bright red-orange legs and base of bill. Upper parts are grey-brown with darker streaking; underparts white with spotted breast and flanks. Sexes similar, though females slightly larger.
Size and weight
Adults 27–29 cm body length; weight 80–150 g, with females averaging 10–15 g heavier than males.
Habitat
Common redshanks inhabit wet grasslands, marshes, reed beds, and shallow wetland margins across lowland and coastal regions. They favour areas with standing or shallow water and sparse vegetation.
Distribution
Breeds across temperate Eurasia from British Isles to Pacific coast; winters in southern breeding range, Africa, and southern Asia. Favours open wetland habitats away from dense cover.
Diet
Feeds on small invertebrates including aquatic insects, larvae, small crustaceans, and worms gleaned from shallow water and mud.
Behaviour
Highly vocal and active during daylight, often seen in small flocks or pairs. Nervous and alert; rapid, direct flight with distinctive white rump patch visible in flight. Frequently bob and call when disturbed.
Hunting tips
Look for tracks and probing marks in mud at marsh margins and shallow water edges. Approach quietly from downwind using available vegetation as cover; birds flush easily and fly to distance. Early morning and late evening offer best visibility and reduced alertness.
Whole weight
This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.