By Sally Siko
Each autumn flocks of Greater Yellowlegs gather in the eastern counties of NC to spend the winter months.
Watching these large groups is entertaining as they move about the water, squabbling and flapping at each other while in search of a meal.
Every so often an unknown heard or seen signal will be given, and the entire flock will take off in unison in a flurry of beating wings and trailing yellow feet.
Well, there’s is not an orderly murmuration, generally the birds stick together as one entity, and often will only circle once or twice over the water before alighting back in the same spot they took off from.
Yellowlegs are often seen foraging with other species of shorebirds on mudflats and in shallow water pools and impoundments. Though they prefer to hunt for a meal in fresh water, you can also find them feeding in brackish and salt water areas too, especially during migration.
Speaking of other shorebirds, Greater Yellowlegs may be difficult to ID as compared to a Lesser Yellowlegs.
If you’re lucky enough to spot both species side by side then making an ID is easier since Greater Yellowlegs are larger than Lessers.
But what to do if there’s just one of the two species in front of you?
Check the bill first.
The bill of the Greater is (very!) slightly upturned and is used to skim small animals & insects from the surface of the water as the bird swings it from side to side.
This behavior, seldom seen in the Lesser Yellowlegs, makes a Greater Yellowlegs a little more recognizable when viewing them at a long distance or in poor lighting conditions.
Hope that helps!
Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
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