Common redshank
The Common redshank (Tringa totanus) is a medium-sized Eurasian wader in the family Scolopacidae, notable for its bright red legs, straight bill with a red base and black tip, and mottled brown upperparts contrasting with pale underparts streaked in breeding plumage.[1][2] Measuring 27–29 cm in length with a wingspan of 59–66 cm and weighing 85–155 g, it is slightly smaller and more compact than related species like the spotted redshank (Tringa erythropus).[1] Its distinctive piping call, often rendered as "tew-hew-hew" or "tlu-hu," serves as a territorial alarm and is frequently heard over wetlands.[1] In flight, a white triangular wedge on its back and rump aids identification.[2] This species breeds widely across temperate Eurasia, from Iceland and Scandinavia to eastern Siberia, favoring damp open habitats such as coastal saltmarshes, inland wet grasslands, grassy marshes, swampy heathlands, and moorland fringes with short vegetation.[3][4] It constructs simple ground scrapes for nests, typically laying 3–5 eggs (average clutch size 3.87) in late spring, with incubation lasting about 24 days by both parents and fledging occurring after 25–35 days.[4] Chicks are precocial, able to walk and feed shortly after hatching.[5] The diet consists primarily of invertebrates probed from soft mud or soil in shallow water, including worms, insects, and crustaceans, with a preference for wetter microhabitats.[4] Following breeding, common redshanks are largely migratory, wintering on coastal mudflats, estuaries, sandy beaches, and lagoons around the Mediterranean, Atlantic coasts of Europe, and southern Asia as far as Australia, though some northern populations remain partially resident.[3][1] The global population is estimated at 740,000–1,200,000 mature individuals, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, but regional declines are evident due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification, wetland drainage, and land reclamation.[3] In the UK, breeding pairs number around 22,000, representing a 45% decrease since 1995, leading to an Amber conservation status.[4][2] Six subspecies are recognized, varying slightly in size and plumage across their range.[1]Taxonomy
Classification
The common redshank was first formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae (10th edition) in 1758, under the binomial name Scolopax totanus.[6] Originally placed in the genus Scolopax (woodcocks), it was subsequently reclassified into the genus Tringa along with other similar waders, reflecting refinements in avian taxonomy based on morphological similarities.[6] This move occurred as part of broader systematic revisions in the 19th and 20th centuries, with intermediate placements in genera like Totanus before the current arrangement.[7] The species is classified within the family Scolopacidae (sandpipers and allies) and the order Charadriiformes, encompassing shorebirds and gulls.[8] Within the genus Tringa, the common redshank shares close phylogenetic ties with congeners such as the spotted redshank (Tringa erythropus), supported by mitochondrial DNA analyses that affirm the monophyly of Tringa.[9] These genetic studies, utilizing nearly complete mitogenomes, demonstrate that Tringa species form a distinct clade within Scolopacidae, distinct from related genera like Calidris.[10] The specific epithet totanus derives from the Italian vernacular "totano," an old name for this or similar wading birds, while the genus Tringa originates from the Ancient Greek "trungas," referring to a thrush-sized wader with a bobbing tail.[11] The English common name "redshank" alludes to the bird's distinctive bright red-orange legs, a feature prominent in both breeding and non-breeding plumage.[12]Subspecies
The common redshank (Tringa totanus) is divided into six subspecies, recognized primarily by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) World Bird List and detailed in taxonomic revisions such as those in Birds of the World. These subspecies differ subtly in body size, bill length, plumage coloration during breeding (ranging from paler grayish tones to darker browns), and intensity of red leg coloration, with distinctions established through biometric analyses of museum specimens.[13][14][15] The following table summarizes the subspecies, their distributions, and key morphological traits:| Subspecies | Breeding Range | Wintering Range | Distinguishing Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| T. t. robusta | Iceland | British Isles | Largest subspecies; longer wings, shorter bill, paler upperparts in breeding plumage.[15][16] |
| T. t. totanus | Western and northern Europe to western Siberia | Africa, India | Nominate form; intermediate size and typical gray-brown plumage tones.[14] |
| T. t. ussuriensis | Siberia to Japan | Southeast Asia | Slightly smaller than nominate; darker breeding plumage with more intense spotting.[14][17] |
| T. t. terrignotae | Southern Manchuria and eastern China | Southeast Asia | Compact form with reduced bill length relative to body size.[11][16][15] |
| T. t. craggi | Northwest China (Xinjiang) | Southeast Asia | Similar to terrignotae but with brighter leg coloration; minor size variations.[1][17] |
| T. t. eurhina | Pamirs, Himalayas, Tibet, northern India | South Asia | Shortest bill among subspecies; paler leg tones and grayer non-breeding plumage.[1][11][15] |