Sandpipers

Greater Yellowlegs

Großer Gelbschenkel

Tringa melanoleuca

Sandpipers3 photosFirst seen: 11 July 2026

The Greater Yellowlegs is a tall shorebird with long yellow legs and a slightly upturned bill. It feeds actively in shallow water, often walking quickly or chasing small fish. The species breeds in remote bogs and wetlands across the boreal forest. During migration and winter it uses marshes, mudflats, estuaries and flooded fields. Its loud, ringing call and larger size help separate it from the Lesser Yellowlegs.

ID tip: Bill length is the clincher against Lesser Yellowlegs: Greater's bill is clearly longer than its head is deep, often slightly upturned; Lesser's is short, straight and needle-fine.

First seen: 11 July 2026 · Oyhut Wildlife Recreation Area · 3 photos in the collection.

Places in my records

Locations where this species is supported by a dated first record, an unambiguous single-place outing or a reviewed assignment.

Oyhut Wildlife Recreation Area11 July 2026

Family: Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)
Length: 29–40 cm
Wingspan: 60–70 cm
Regional status: Migrant (Pacific Northwest, USA)
Conservation: Near Threatened NTIUCN Red List · retrieved 27 August 2026
Habitat: Marshes, flooded fields, pond margins, estuaries
Diet: Small fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans, tadpoles

Built from verified occurrence records, not drawn by hand. Core range = the countries holding 99% of all records; the rest are scattered or vagrant records. Record counts track where people watch birds as much as where the birds are, so the map shows presence, not abundance. Data: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). Basemap: Natural Earth.

Greater Yellowlegs

Places in my records

Selected photographs