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Difference between revisions of "Marsh Sandpiper" - BirdForum Opus

(References updated)
(rm misleading list of locations; more details)
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[[Image:Marsh_Sandpiper.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Steve+G|Steve G}}<br />S'Albufera de Mallorca, [[Spain]], October 2003]]
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[[Image:Marsh_Sandpiper.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Winter plumage<br>Photo by {{user|Steve+G|Steve G}}<br />S'Albufera de Mallorca, [[Spain]], October 2003]]
 
;[[:Category:Tringa|Tringa]] stagnatilis
 
;[[:Category:Tringa|Tringa]] stagnatilis
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Long fine bill, very long spindly yellowish legs, grey brown in breeding plumage, paler in winter, and has a white wedge up its back (reminiscent of [[Common Greenshank]]). Due to early moult, Marsh Sandpiper will in late summer often look considerably paler than other European ''Tringa'' sandpipers.  
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[[Image:Marsh Sandpiper flight.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Summer plumage<br>Photo by {{user|aritervo|aritervo}}<br />[[Finland]] June 24, 2007 ]]
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Long, slender, black bill, long spindly yellowish-green legs, grey brown with white underparts slightly streaked brownish in breeding plumage, paler in winter with pure white underparts, and has a white wedge up its back (reminiscent of [[Common Greenshank]]). Wings uniform grey-brown, with no wingbar. Due to early moult, Marsh Sandpiper will often look considerably paler than other ''Tringa'' sandpipers in late summer.  Feet project well beyond the tail in flight.
 +
====Similar species====
 +
[[Common Greenshank]] is the main confusion species, differing in its larger size, and stouter, slightly upcurved bill with a pale base. When dealing with vagrants, [[Lesser Yellowlegs]] also needs to be considered because of its similar structure, though differing in bright chrome-yellow legs and a smaller, square white rump, not a long wedge. At long range, winter plumage Marsh Sandpipers can look surprisingly similar to (particularly juvenile) [[Black-winged Stilt]]s.
  
Feet project well beyond the tail in flight
 
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
[[Image:Marsh Sandpiper flight.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|aritervo|aritervo}}<br />[[Finland]] June 24, 2007 ]]
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Breeds in easternmost [[Europe]] to central [[Asia]] (locally in [[Poland]] and [[Belarus]], widespread from eastern [[Ukraine]] east across [[Russia]] and northern [[Kazakhstan]], and locally in [[Mongolia]] and northern [[China]]), migrating to winter in sub-saharan [[Africa]] (west to [[Senegal]] and south to [[South Africa]]), southern Asia and [[Australia]]. Vagrants occur west to [[Ireland]] in western Europe and east to [[Japan]] in Asia, and with a very few records in [[North America]].
Breeding eastern-most [[Europe]] to central [[Asia]], migrating to [[Africa]], southern Asia and [[Australasia]]. <br />
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'''Eastern Europe''': [[Scandinavia]], [[Norway]], [[Sweden]], [[Finland]], [[Denmark]], The [[Netherlands]], [[France]], [[Portugal]], [[Spain]], [[Mallorca]], [[Switzerland]], [[Liechtenstein]], [[Germany]], [[Italy]], [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Belarus]], [[Poland]], [[Czechoslovakia]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Slovakia]], [[Hungary]], [[Slovenia]], [[Croatia]], [[Yugoslavia]], [[Montenegro]], [[Serbia]], [[Albania]], [[Macedonia]], [[Greece]], [[Crete]], [[Malta]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Romania]], [[Ukraine]], [[Moldova]]<br />
 
'''Northern Africa''': [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], [[Tunisia]], [[Libya]], [[Egypt]]<br />
 
'''Western Africa''': [[Mauritania]], [[Senegal]], The [[Gambia]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Guinea]], [[Mali]], [[Sierra Leone]], [[Liberia]], [[Ivory Coast]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Ghana]], [[Benin]], [[Nigeria]], [[Niger]], [[Chad]], [[Cameroon]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], [[Gabon]], [[Congo]], [[Democratic Republic of Congo]], [[Angola]]<br />
 
'''Eastern Africa''': [[Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br />
 
'''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[Lesotho]], [[Swaziland]]<br />
 
'''African Islands''': [[Cape Verde]], Gulf of Guinea Islands, [[Bioko]] (Fernando Po), São Tomé and Príncipe, Saint Helena, [[Comoros]]<br />
 
'''Middle East''': [[Turkey]], [[Cyprus]], [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Israel]], [[Jordan]], [[Arabian Peninsula]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], [[Oman]], [[United Arab Emirates]], [[Qatar]], [[Bahrain]], [[Kuwait]], [[Iraq]], [[Iran]], [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Georgia]]<br />
 
'''Asia''': [[Russia]], [[Siberia]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Mongolia]], [[China]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]], [[India]], Eastern and Western [[Himalayas]], [[Maldives]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Bhutan]], [[Korea]], [[Japan]], [[Taiwan]], [[Hong Kong]]<br />
 
'''Southeast Asia''': [[Indochina]], [[Myanmar]], [[Laos]], [[Vietnam]], [[Cambodia]], [[Thailand]], [[Malaysia]], [[Borneo]], [[Malay Peninsula]], [[Brunei]], [[Singapore]], [[Philippines]], [[Borneo]], [[Indonesia]], [[Greater Sundas]], [[Sumatra]], [[Java]], [[Sulawesi]], [[Lesser Sundas]], [[Bali]], [[West Timor]], [[Moluccas]], [[East Timor]]<br />
 
[[Australasia]], [[Papua New Guinea]], [[Australia]], [[Christmas Island]], [[New South Wales]], [[Northern Territory]], [[Queensland]], [[South Australia]], [[Tasmania]], [[Victoria]], [[Western Australia]], [[Melanesia]], [[Micronesia]], [[Guam]]
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 
This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>.
 
This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>.

Revision as of 21:24, 9 November 2014

Winter plumage
Photo by Steve G
S'Albufera de Mallorca, Spain, October 2003
Tringa stagnatilis

Identification

Summer plumage
Photo by aritervo
Finland June 24, 2007

Long, slender, black bill, long spindly yellowish-green legs, grey brown with white underparts slightly streaked brownish in breeding plumage, paler in winter with pure white underparts, and has a white wedge up its back (reminiscent of Common Greenshank). Wings uniform grey-brown, with no wingbar. Due to early moult, Marsh Sandpiper will often look considerably paler than other Tringa sandpipers in late summer. Feet project well beyond the tail in flight.

Similar species

Common Greenshank is the main confusion species, differing in its larger size, and stouter, slightly upcurved bill with a pale base. When dealing with vagrants, Lesser Yellowlegs also needs to be considered because of its similar structure, though differing in bright chrome-yellow legs and a smaller, square white rump, not a long wedge. At long range, winter plumage Marsh Sandpipers can look surprisingly similar to (particularly juvenile) Black-winged Stilts.

Distribution

Breeds in easternmost Europe to central Asia (locally in Poland and Belarus, widespread from eastern Ukraine east across Russia and northern Kazakhstan, and locally in Mongolia and northern China), migrating to winter in sub-saharan Africa (west to Senegal and south to South Africa), southern Asia and Australia. Vagrants occur west to Ireland in western Europe and east to Japan in Asia, and with a very few records in North America.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[2].

Habitat

Open grassy steppe and taiga wetlands.

Behaviour

These birds forage by probing in shallow water or on wet mud.

Diet

Diet includes insects, and similar small prey.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Tringa stagnatilis (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
  2. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  3. Avibase

Recommended Citation

External Links


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