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Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

Near Threatened
Wingspan
38.9 cm
Weight
169.25 g
Family
Scolopacidae
Order
Charadriiformes

About

Greater Yellowlegs: 29–33 cm, large North American shank with yellow legs, slightly upturned bill, and loud ringing call. Breeds on boreal muskeg from Alaska to Newfoundland; winters on wetlands throughout the Americas south to Patagonia. Feeds by wading and sweeping bill through water. More robust than Lesser Yellowlegs. Long-distance migrant.

Physical Description

Measurement Value Imperial
Wingspan 38.9 cm 15.3 in
Weight 169.25 g 5.97 oz

Habitat & Range

Conservation Status

Near Threatened
IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Incubation: 23 days.

Clutch Size

4

Taxonomy

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes (Shorebirds & Gulls)
Family Scolopacidae (Sandpipers & Snipes)
Genus Tringa
Species Tringa melanoleuca

Distribution

Greater Yellowlegs has been recorded in 8 countries.

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Present Not recorded
{# Simplified country/region shapes — major landmasses with ISO alpha-2 data attributes. These are simplified polygon representations for visual distribution display. #}

countries highlighted

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Greater Yellowlegs endangered?
The Greater Yellowlegs has a conservation status of Near Threatened.
How does the Greater Yellowlegs nest?
Incubation: 23 days.
How big is the Greater Yellowlegs?
The Greater Yellowlegs has a wingspan of 38.9 cm, weight of 169.25 g.
What order and family does the Greater Yellowlegs belong to?
The Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) belongs to the order Charadriiformes and the family Scolopacidae.

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