Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Taxobox
name = Lesser Yellowlegs
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1


image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Charadriiformes
familia = Scolopacidae
genus = "Tringa"
species = "T. flavipes"
binomial = "Tringa flavipes"
binomial_authority = (Gmelin, 1789)
synonyms ="Totanus flavipes"

The Lesser Yellowlegs, "Tringa flavipes", is a medium-sized shorebird similar in appearance to the larger Greater Yellowlegs. It is not closely related to this bird, however, but instead to the much larger and quite dissimilar willet (Pereira & Baker, 2005); merely the fine, clear and dense pattern of the neck shown in breeding plumage indicates these species' actual relationships.

Adults have long yellow legs and a long thin dark bill, about the same length as the head. The body is grey brown on top and white underneath; the neck and breast are streaked with dark brown. The tail is white.

Their breeding habitat is clearings near ponds in the boreal forest region from Alaska to Quebec. They nest on the ground, usually in open dry locations.

They migrate to the Gulf coast of the United States and south to South America.

This species is a regular vagrant to western Europe, and the odd bird has wintered in Great Britain.

These birds forage in shallow water, sometimes using their bill to stir up the water. They mainly eat insects, small fish and crustaceans.

The call of this bird is softer than that of the Greater Yellowlegs.

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

* Pereira, Sérgio Luiz & Baker, Alan J. (2005): Multiple Gene Evidence for Parallel Evolution and Retention of Ancestral Morphological States in the Shanks (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae). "Condor" 107(3): 514–526. DOI: 10.1650/0010-5422(2005)107 [0514:MGEFPE] 2.0.CO;2 [http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&issn=0010-5422&volume=107&issue=03&page=0514 HTML abstract]

*Janovy, John Jr. (1980) "Yellowlegs". St. Martin's Press. 0-312-89643-3

External links

* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Lesser_Yellowlegs.html Lesser Yellowlegs Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/lesser_yellowlegs_info.htm Lesser Yellowlegs Information and Photos] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i2550id.html Lesser Yellowlegs "Tringa flavipes"] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
* [http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/species.jsp?lang=EN&id=681DCC6B33FD4D92&ts=1220256391270&sec=summary Avibase]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • lesser yellowlegs — n. YELLOWLEGS * * * …   Universalium

  • lesser yellowlegs — n. YELLOWLEGS …   English World dictionary

  • lesser yellowlegs — noun a variety of yellowlegs • Syn: ↑Tringa flavipes • Hypernyms: ↑yellowlegs * * * noun plural but singular or plural in construction : a yellowlegs (Totanus flavipes or Tringa flavipes) that is about 11 inches long including the bill, is… …   Useful english dictionary

  • lesser yellowlegs — geltonkojis tulikas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Tringa flavipes angl. lesser yellowlegs vok. Kleiner Gelbschenkel, m rus. желтоногий улит, m pranc. petit chevalier, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – tulikai …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • lesser yellowlegs — noun plural but singular or plural in construction Date: circa 1903 a common American marsh and shore bird (Tringa flavipes) that closely resembles the greater yellowlegs in color and markings but is smaller with a shorter more slender bill …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • lesser yellowlegs. — See under yellowlegs. [1900 05] * * * …   Universalium

  • lesser yellowlegs — noun A shorebird of North America characterized by its yellow legs, scientific name Tringa flavipes. See Also: greater yellowlegs …   Wiktionary

  • lesser yellowlegs — less′er yel′lowlegs n. orn See under yellowlegs • Etymology: 1900–05 …   From formal English to slang

  • lesser yellowlegs. — See under yellowlegs. [1900 05] …   Useful english dictionary

  • yellowlegs — ☆ yellowlegs [yel′ō legz΄] n. pl. yellowlegs either of two large, gray and white sandpipers, the greater yellowlegs ( Tringa melanoleuca) or the lesser yellowlegs ( T. flavipes), having long, yellow legs, found in North and South America …   English World dictionary

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