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Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Common/Greater Greenshank, Kedidi Kaki Hijau (Malay)

Greenshanks are among the most common of the larger sandpipers found in Singapore.

Greenshanks are among the few waders to eat mainly fish (which makes up one quarter of their diet). They focus on small fish. They also eat prawns, molluscs and insects. During breeding season, they feed mainly on insects.

Greenshanks stalk prey at a steady walk, pecking and probing occasionally. They may dash rapidly through the shallows if they spot a small fish within reach. They feed mainly in shallow water or at the water's edge, preferring soft mud. They feed both during the day and at night, whenever the tidal situation best suits their hunting style.

Wary birds, Greenshanks may feed alone, or with other waders. Rarely, they may feed in flocks of 20-30, well spread out. However, they roost in large flocks, where available on open ground. At high tide, they prefer to roost on stumps rather than branches in the tree crowns.

Breeding (April-August): Greenshanks nest mainly in taiga and forest zones of the Palaearctic from Scotland, Norway and east across Russia, Siberia to the Bering Sea. Nesting grounds range from moorlands with scattered trees, clearings in coniferous forests, forest marshes dotted with large and small lakes, or treeless upland bogs up to 5,000ft.
Mangrove and wetland wildlife at
Sungei Buloh Nature Park
Main features: Large (30-36cm); bill long (4-6cm) slightly upturned, pale at the base.

Adult:
Summer/breeding-head and neck heavily streaked, black feathers among grey on back.

Winter/non-breeding- less heavily streaked neck, back grey.

Juvenile: More heavily streaked neck, feathers on the back more broadly edged white, except at tip which is black.

Breeding

Non-breeding

Juvenile
Photos from
Rosair and Cottridge
Call: Described as a loud ringing 3-note teu-teu-teu, usually in flight. Alarm call a sharp tchuk or chip. Breeding song is a melodious too-hoo-too-hoo.

In flight: Legs green and trail beyond barred tail; white rump and lower back prominent.

Similar birds:
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis): Head is paler, more streaked with less distinct eyebrow; legs longer; bill thinner less up-tilted.

Status in Singapore: Very common non-breeding winter visitor on the island and North and South offshore islands.
World distribution: Throughout the Old World including Australia and New Zealand.

Classification: Family Scolopacidae. World 88 species, Singapore 34. From the Order Charadiiformes.
The Greenshank male does a switchback display flight, sometimes at great height. Most are usually faithful to their old nesting site and partner, but some males may mate with two females.

Greenshanks nest on the ground, usually next to a piece of dead wood. The nest is shallow hollow lined with grass and other plants. 3-5, usually 4 pale yellowish-green eggs with speckles are laid. These are incubated mainly by the female, particularly if the male has two females. They hatch in 23-24 days. As soon as their feathers dry up, the young disperse away from the nest, hiding among the undergrowth. Usually one parent leaves not long after the eggs hatch, leaving the remaining parent to raise the young. Sometimes, the parents split up the chicks between them, raising them separately. The young fledge in 25-31 days.

Migration: In the winter, Greenshanks migrate to the Mediterranean Basin, Persian Gulf, China, South Africa, India, Indochina, Southeast Asia and even Australia. They winter on a wide range of wetland habitats both coastal and inland, but prefer estuaries to the open coast. In Singapore, Greenshanks are found in mangroves, mudflats, estuaries, sandy shores. Also freshwater wetlands: ponds, reservoirs, canals, rice fields, swamps.

Status and threats: Greenshanks are not endangered because their breeding grounds are extensive, and they breed in a wide variety of habitats.

LINKS
REFERENCES
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Nature's Niche
  • Morten Strange, "A Photographic Guide to Birds of Malaysia and Singapore: including Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Borneo", Periplus, 2000 (p. 112: description, voice, habits, distribution, status, photo).
  • David R Wells, "The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 1 (Non-Passarines)", Academic Press, 1999 (p. 231-232: identification, distribution map, habits, habitat, migration, conservation).
  • Lim Kim Seng, "Pocket Checklist of the Birds of the Republic of Singapore", Nature Society (Singapore), 1999 (Abundance, status, Chinese and Malay names).
  • Lim Kim Seng and Dana Gardner, "Birds: An Illustrated Field Guide to the Birds of Singapore", Sun Tree Publishing Ltd., 1997 (p. 55: identification, status in Singapore, distribution, diagram, number of species).
  • G W H Davison and Chew Yen Fook, "A Photographic Guide to Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore", New Holland Publishers Ltd., 1995 (p. 36: identification, status in Singapore, distribution, photo).
  • Morten Strange and Allen Jeyarajasingam, "Birds: A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore", Sun Tree Publishing, 1993 (p. 121: description, distribution, habits, habitat, photo).
  • Christopher Hails, "Birds of Singapore" illustrated by Frank Jarvis, Times Editions, 1987 reprinted 1995 (p. 75: habits, description, status in Singapore, and lovely drawings of the birds).
  • Peter Hayman (et. al), "Shorebirds: An Identification Guide to the Waders of the World", Christopher Helm, 1986 (p. 325-26: identification, distribution, habits, movements, diagrams).
  • David Rosair and David Cottridge, "Photographic Guide to the Shorebirds of the World", Facts on File, 1995 (p. 112: migration, breeding behaviour).
  • "Handbook of the Birds of the World: Vol 3: Hoatzin to Auks", Lynx Edicions, 1996 (p. 510: identification, distribution map, habits, habitat, migration, conservation).
 
By Ria Tan, 2001