Medium large. Moderatley long, thick, two toned bill and short legs. Sexes similar.
Adults: Breeding: Head, neck and breast, white, streaked with dark brown. Eyering, white. Eye, dark brown. Back, scapulars, mixed dark brown and greyish-brown. Underwing, white. Lower back, rump, and uppertail coverts, white. Tail, mostly white with only slightly grey markings toward the tip. Outer primaries, almost black. Inner primaries, secondaries, becoming brownish-grey. Throat, belly, undertail coverts, white with sparse, dark brown 'V' bars. Bill, black at tip, base greenish to brownish-yellow. Legs, yellow to greenish or brownish-yellow. Non-breeding: Upperparts less mottled and lighter grey.
Immatures: Washed brownish. Feathers on back spotted and fringed pale buff. Sides of breast washed buffish.
Bangladesh (NB), Brunei Darussalam (NB), Cambodia (NB), China (mainland) (NB) (P), Hong Kong (China) (NB) (P), India (NB), Indonesia (NB), Japan (NB) (P), Malaysia (NB), Myanmar (NB), North Korea (NB) (P), Philippines (NB), Russia (Asian) (B), Singapore (NB), South Korea (NB) (P), Taiwan (China) (NB) (P), Thailand (NB), Vietnam (NB) (P).
Vagrant to Sri Lanka (NB).
Unknown to Guam.
Sakhalin and western Sea of Okhotsk; possibly also northern Sea of Okhotsk and Kamchatka. Winters in north-eastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Hainan south to Malay Peninsula; may also be regular in South Korea, perhaps eastern Sumatra and elsewhere.
Population
Estimated population is 500 - 1,000 (2010) and decreasing.
Status EN
Development of coastal wetlands throughout Asia for industry, infrastructure and aquaculture, and the degradation of its breeding habitat in Russia by grazing reindeer are the main threats. Pollution, hunting and human disturbance are further threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Habits
Stands horizontally. Runs after prey with head lowered, bill level, like Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus). Wades deep. Wary. Flies strongly.
Voice
Trilled 'kee' or 'kwee' and a harsh 'kwork' or 'gwark' uttered in flight.
Nordmann's Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) [XC213489]
by Friend of Anon Torimi from Sonadia Island, NW of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh (flight call)
Nordmann's Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) [XC309529]
by Matt Slaymaker from Tambon Pak Nam Krasae, Amphoe Klaeng, Chang Wat Rayong, Thailand (flight call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Non-breeding with non-breeding. Has a more upcurved and slender bill, lead-grey at the base, slightly longer. Legs, grey-green, which lack any webbing.
Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris)
Slightly smaller. Breeding with breeding. Has a shorter, slightly decurved bill. Has rich chestnut on the upperparts, heavier black markings on breast and belly. Neither species likely to be observed in breeding plumage in Australia.
Compare Images
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
BirdLife International Species Factsheet