Shorebirds

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

A tall, elegant shorebird with long bright-yellow legs and a slightly upturned bill. Its loud, ringing three-note call carries across wetlands and often alerts other birds to approaching danger.

Current regional viewing notes

Mudflats, tide pools, and wetland edges near Hoonah; commonly seen on tidal flats along Icy Strait.

Dataset note: This legacy field can be specific to Southeast Alaska/Hoonah and is not a complete statewide range statement.

Habitat

Mudflats, shallow marshes, tide pools, and lakeshores.

Diet

Small fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and snails.

Natural history note

Greater Yellowlegs are sometimes called the "tattler" or "telltale" because their loud alarm calls warn all nearby birds of predators and approaching humans.