The greater yellowlegs is a beautiful bird that belongs to the sandpiper family. Its scientific name is Tringa melanoleuca, and it is known for its long and slender legs that make it stand out from other birds.
Basic Description
The greater yellowlegs has a length of about 14-15 inches with a wingspan of up to 28 inches. It weighs around 110 grams, making it one of the larger shorebirds in North America. The bird has an olive-brown back with white underparts and distinctive black-and-white markings on its head and neck. During mating season, males have more prominent markings than females.
Where To Find This Bird
Greater yellowlegs are migratory birds found across North America from Alaska to South America. In summer months they will be breeding in northern Canada and Alaska whereas during winters they can be seen as far south as Argentina near wetlands or shallow water bodies such as marshes or estuaries.
Habitat
These birds prefer wetland habitats like marshes, swamps, mudflats, ponds, lagoons or beaches; any place where there’s plenty of shallow water for them to wade through while searching for food.
Food
Greater yellowlegs feed mainly on insects like dragonflies & mosquitoes but also crustaceans (crabs), mollusks (worms) & small fish when available. They use their long bills to probe into mud in search of these prey items poking their bill through soft mud until finding something edible concealed beneath the surface.
Cool Facts
Did you know that greater yellowlegs are often called “tells” by hunters because their distinctive call sounds like “tell-tell-tell”? Also interestingly enough some populations have been observed feeding alongside willets which makes for quite an impressive sight since both species boast similar body sizes & feeding habits!
In conclusion,the Greater Yellowleg stands out among other members of the sandpiper family because of its long legs and distinctive black-and-white markings. You can find these birds far north in Canada or as south as Argentina but always near wetlands where they search for food by wading through shallow waters. They are interestingly known as “tells” among hunters who recognize their unique call, and often feed amongst other shorebirds like willets making for an impressive sight indeed!
