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Henry Sowell

Vol. I · Est. 2026

Pl. CLV
Field-journal plate: Lesser Yellowlegs
The Lesser Yellowlegs plate as rendered on the e-ink frame
As rendered on the frame

The Birds · Plate CLV

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Scolopacidae · Taxon 3893

LengthBoth sexes: 23–27 cm (9.1–10.6 in)
WingspanBoth sexes: 59–64 cm (23.2–25.2 in)
WeightBoth sexes: 79.5–90.9 g (2.8–3.2 oz)

Field marks

  1. Slender, medium-sized shorebird with a long neck and small head
  2. Long, vivid yellow legs extending beyond the tail in flight
  3. Straight, thin, entirely dark bill only slightly longer than the head
  4. Gray-brown upperparts with pale or white spotting
  5. White eyering and fine gray streaking on the head, neck, and breast
  6. Plain dark wings with a white rump and mostly white tail in flight

HabitatBreeds in open or semiopen boreal woodland and wet meadows interspersed with marshes, bogs, and ponds. During migration and winter, uses shallow fresh, brackish, and coastal wetlands, including mudflats, marshes, pond and lake edges, wet meadows, lagoons, and flooded fields.

BehaviorWalks with a graceful, high-stepping gait through shallow water and mud, actively taking prey with quick bill jabs or side-to-side sweeps. Often gathers in loose flocks outside the breeding season but aggressively defends nesting territory.

Palette

gray-brownwhiteblackbright yellow