Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
The Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) is a common sandpiper found in 85 countries, weighing about 78 g. The lesser yellowlegs is a medium-sized shorebird.
About the Lesser Yellowlegs
The lesser yellowlegs is a medium-sized shorebird. It breeds in the boreal forest region of North America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The lesser yellowlegs is a medium-large shorebird, 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) in overall length and with a wingspan of 59–64 cm (23–25 in) and a weight of 67–94 g (2.4–3.3 oz). The sexes are similar both in plumage and in overall size. In breeding plumage, the upperparts are mottled with gray-brown, black and white. The underparts are white with irregular brown streaking on the breast and neck. In non-breeding plumage, the upperparts are more uniform gray-brown. The legs are yellow.
What the Lesser Yellowlegs sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Australia, Netherlands, Finland, Japan, Taiwan, Morocco, New Zealand.
When to see it
Best months: March, April, May, July, August, September, October, with peak activity in August. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Lesser Yellowlegs?
- The lesser yellowlegs is a medium-large shorebird, 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) in overall length and with a wingspan of 59–64 cm (23–25 in) and a weight of 67–94 g (2.4–3.3 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Lesser Yellowlegs?
- The Lesser Yellowlegs is a medium sized bird weighing about 78 g.
- Where can you see a Lesser Yellowlegs?
- The Lesser Yellowlegs occurs in 85 countries, including the United States, Canada, Argentina, Chile and Mexico.
- What does a Lesser Yellowlegs sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Lesser Yellowlegs on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Lesser Yellowlegs?
- The Lesser Yellowlegs is most easily confused with the Willet, the Common Redshank and the Common Greenshank.
- Is the Lesser Yellowlegs endangered?
- The Lesser Yellowlegs is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Lesser Yellowlegs for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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