Greater Yellowlegs

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) is a tall North American shorebird with bright yellow legs and a long slightly upturned bill. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It wades actively through marshes and tidal pools, sweeping or stabbing for fish, insects and crustaceans. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).