Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) is a dark-backed shorebird with fine pale spots, white rump and tail base, and greenish legs. 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 comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It frequents shaded freshwater margins, feeds on aquatic invertebrates and unusually nests in old tree nests built by other birds. 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).