Fauna Flora Photography

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca

Large North-American shorebird with a long, slightly upwards curved beak. It is a migratory bird spending only summer in the Southern part of Canada. These birds forage in shallow water eating insects, small fishes, crustacean and marine worms.

Specs

Length40-50cm
Weight200-300g
Wingspan6-18cm

Common Names

GermanGroßer Gelbschenkel
EnglishGreater Yellowlegs
FrenchGrand Chevalier
SpanishPitotoy grande

Taxonomy

OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyScolopacidae
SpeciesTringa melanoleuca

How to Identify

This species is similar in appearance to Lesser Yellowlegs. A distinctive feature is the long slightly upwards curved beak.

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) - Tadoussac - 2021-08-21
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) - Quidi Vidi Harbour - 2017-08-16
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) - Tadoussac - 2013-08-17

Where and When to Spot

So far, I spotted this species in Newfoundland and Tadoussac but not around Montreal.

Last updated on 2024-03-14. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.