Convervation status: Amber 1 video Latin nameTringa totanus FamilySandpipers and allies (Scolopacidae) OverviewAs its name suggests, redshanks' most distinctive features are their bright orange-red legs. They have a medium-length bill with an orange base to match, brown speckled back and wings and paler belly. Where to see themRedshanks breed in damp places like saltmarshes, flood meadows and around lakes, but during winter you'll see lots more of them on estuaries and coastal lagoons – as many as half of these birds may be from Iceland. The greatest concentrations of breeding birds are in parts of Scotland and north-west England. When to see themAt any time of year. What they eatRedshanks hunt for insects, earthworms, molluscs and crustaceans by probing their bills into soil and mud. Estimated numbers| Europe | UK breeding* | UK wintering* | UK passage* |
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| - | 38,300 pairs | 120,000 birds | - |
* UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn. Distribution
Please note that the map is only intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations. Sound: Ruud van Beusekom, Xeno-canto |