Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyScolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
- GenusTringa (Shanks, Tattlers, and Allies)
- SpeciesTringa nebularia (Common Greenshank)
About the Common Greenshank
The common greenshank (Tringa nebularia) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name Tringa is the Neo-Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek trungas, a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbing wading bird mentioned by Aristotle. The specific nebularia is from Latin nebula "mist". Like the Norwegian Skoddefoll, this refers to the greenshank's damp marshy habitat.
Its closest relative is the greater yellowlegs, which together with the spotted redshank form a close-knit group. Among them, these three species show all the basic leg and foot colours found in the shanks, demonstrating that this character is paraphyletic. They are also the largest shanks apart from the willet, which is altogether more robustly built. The greater yellowlegs and the common greenshank share a coarse, dark, and fairly crisp breast pattern as well as much black on the shoulders and back in breeding plumage.
This is a subarctic bird, breeding from northern Scotland eastwards across northern Europe and east across the Palearctic. It is a migratory species, wintering in Africa, the Indian subcontinent... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Common Greenshank in Etosha National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Etosha National Park
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa stagnatilis
Ruff
Calidris pugnax
Little Stint
Calidris minuta
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus armatus
Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus
Double-banded Courser
Rhinoptilus africanus
Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Spotted Thick-knee
Burhinus capensis
African Jacana
Actophilornis africanus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Greenshank in Etosha National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Greenshank sighting in Etosha National Park, based on 146 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Greenshank in Etosha National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Common Greenshank in Etosha National Park in our monthly data.