redshanks
Red-legged sandpiper relatives
Redshanks are wading birds with distinctive red legs, found in marshes and coastal areas across Europe and Asia.
The name also refers to several plants with reddish stems, particularly a common weed in the buckwheat family.
Historically, redshank was a derogatory term for Scottish Highlanders and Irish people, supposedly from their bare, weather-reddened legs.
Shallow-water walker
- shorebirdCoastal bird species
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- beakHorny avian mouthpart
- feathersBird's lightweight covering
nesting · flock · birdwatching · ornithology · binoculars · species · avian · twitching
Coastal areas exposed at low tide
- saltmarshCoastal wetland with brackish water
- estuaryTidal mixing zone
- intertidalZone between high and low watermarks
- tidelineShore's flood boundary
foreshore · brackish · seashore · sandbanks · wetlands · marshes · tidal flats · shallows
Thorough examination or tool
- invertebratesAnimals without vertebral columns
- crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
- aquatic insectsInvertebrates living in water
- molluscsSoft unsegmented invertebrates
worms · silt · shallows · stilts · legs · feeding · pecking · shallow water
Movement to new territory
- flywayEstablished bird migration path
- overwinterSurvive the cold season
- breeding groundsSites where species reproduce
- stopoverBrief halt mid-journey
seasonal · northward · southward · navigation · departure · arrival · long-distance · flock
wader
Shallow-water walker
feathers · nesting · flock · birdwatching · ornithology · binoculars · species · avian · twitching · ornithologist
mudflats
Coastal areas exposed at low tide
- saltmarshCoastal wetland with brackish water
- estuaryTidal mixing zone
- intertidalZone between high and low watermarks
tideline · foreshore · brackish · seashore · sandbanks · wetlands · marshes · tidal flats · shallows · inlet
probe
Thorough examination or tool
- invertebratesAnimals without vertebral columns
- crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
- aquatic insectsInvertebrates living in water
molluscs · worms · silt · shallows · stilts · legs · feeding · pecking · shallow water · tidal pools
migration
Movement to new territory
- flywayEstablished bird migration path
- overwinterSurvive the cold season
- breeding groundsSites where species reproduce
stopover · seasonal · northward · southward · navigation · departure · arrival · long-distance · flock · journey