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Redshank Tringa totanus [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Charadriiformes
Family:
Scolopacidae
BTO Codes:
RK , REDSH
EURING No:
5460
Number in Britain:
39 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
2 Concern, most in Europe; Declining
Global:
Least Concern
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Status in UK:
(A) Migrant/Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
totanus (RBW), robusta (W) recorded in Britain (of 6 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
28 cm
Wingspan:
62 cm
Weight:
M: 110 g F: 130 g
Scientific name from:
Gr.: trungas =a waterbird mentioned by Aristotle
and Italian: totano =the Redshank
World Distribution:
BREEDS: Europe, n&c Asia, WINTERS: to s Africa & Indonesia
Habitat:
Rivers, wet grassland, moors & estuaries
Diet:
Invertebrates, esp earthworms, cranefly larvae (inland) crustaceans, molluscs, marine worms (estuaries)
TitBit:
On coastal marshes this is usually the first bird to be disturbed, flying off with a noisy cry - giving rise to the name 'sentinel of the marsh'
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
39 thousand pairs
in 1985-98
Note: Best estimate
Winter:
116 thousand individuals
in 1994-99
First Record:
15th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Estuaries
Also common in:
Coastal Habitat
And found in:
Marsh
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
250 to 470 thousand pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WBD(II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
45 x 31 mm
Egg Weight:
22.3 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
96
(more would be welcome!)
Clutch Size:
4 eggs
3.87 ± 0.43 (2 - 5) N = 905
Incubation:
24 days
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
25 - 35 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
1 May (14 Apr - 7 Jun)
Number of Broods:
1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
2223
Adult Survival:
0.75
Juvenile Survival:
0.430 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
4
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
19yr10m
(Denmark: 26yr 11m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
D2
Wing Length
Adult:
169.8 ± 5.2
Range
161 - 178 mm, N =10350
Juvenile:
167.5 ± 5.4
158 - 175 mm, N =5879
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
153.3 ± 17.58
Range
126.0 - 184.0 g , N =9959
Juvenile:
142.1 ± 14.32
120.0 - 166.0 g , N =5503
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Common Redshank
Gaelic:
Maor-cladaich
Welsh:
Pibydd Coesgoch
Danish:
Rødben
Dutch:
Tureluur
Finnish:
Punajalkaviklo
French:
Chevalier gambette
German:
Rotschenkel
Hungarian:
Piroslábú cankó
Icelandic:
Stelkur
Irish:
Cosdeargán
Italian:
Pettegola
Norwegian:
Rødstilk
Polish:
Krwawodziób
Portuguese:
Perna-vermelha-comum
Spanish:
Archibebe común
Swedish:
Rödbena
Local Names: Watery Pleep, Ebb Cock
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Nethersole-Thompson, D. & M. 1986 Waders, their breeding, haunts and watchers Poyser, London
[598.6 NET]
Hale, W.G. 1988 The Redshank Shire Publications, Princes Risborough
[Jour: S]
See Also:
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