Grey-tailed Tattler vs Marsh Sandpiper

Grey-tailed Tattler

Tringa brevipes

Medium127 gWetland

The grey-tailed tattler is closely related to its North American counterpart, the wandering tattler (T. incana) and is difficult to distinguish from that species. Both tattlers are unique among the species of Tringa for having unpatterned, greyish wings and back, and a scaly breast pattern extending more or less onto the belly in breeding plumage, in which both also have a rather prominent supercilium. These birds resemble common redshanks in shape and size. The upper parts, underwings, face and neck are grey, and the belly is white.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: John Robert McPherson · CC0

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Medium78 gWetland

The marsh sandpiper resembles a small elegant greenshank, with a long fine bill and very long yellowish legs. Like the greenshank, it is greyish brown in breeding plumage, paler in winter, and has a white wedge up its back that is visible in flight. However, it is more closely related to the common redshank and the wood sandpiper. Together, they form a group of smallish shanks which tend to have red or reddish legs, and in breeding plumage are generally a subdued, light brown above with some darker mottling, with a pattern of somewhat diffuse small brownish spots on the breast and neck.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Stephan Sprinz · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey-tailed Tattler and Marsh Sandpiper.