redshank

redshank
/red"shangk'/, n.
an Old World sandpiper, Tringa totanus, having red legs and feet.
[1515-25; RED1 + SHANK]

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▪ bird group
 either of two species of Old World shorebirds of the family Scolopacidae (order Charadriiformes), characterized by its long, reddish legs. In the common redshank (Tringa totanus), about 30 centimetres (12 inches) long, the legs are orange red, the upper parts are brownish or gray, the rump and hind edge of the wing are white, and the upturned bill is reddish with a black tip. The common redshank nests in wet meadows in Iceland, Britain, much of Europe, the Middle East, and temperate Asia (to 4,500 metres, about 15,000 feet, in the Himalayas), and it winters from Africa to the Philippines. The slightly larger spotted redshank (T. erythropus), also called dusky or black redshank, has reddish-brown legs and a straight bill, red with a brown tip. In breeding season, its plumage is black; in winter, gray. It breeds across sub-Arctic Eurasia and winters from the Mediterranean region into southern Asia.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Redshank — can refer to:*Two species of birds: ** Common Redshank Tringa totanus ** Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus *Three species of plant: ** Redshank (plant) Polygonum persicaria ** Redshank (moss) Ceratodon purpureus ** Scarce Redshank Ceratodon… …   Wikipedia

  • Redshank — Red shank (r?d sh?nk ), n. 1. (Zo[ o]l.) (a) A common Old World limicoline bird ({Totanus calidris}), having the legs and feet pale red. The spotted redshank ({Totanus fuscus}) is larger, and has orange red legs. Called also {redshanks}, {redleg} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • redshank — [red′shaŋk΄] n. either of two European sandpipers with reddish legs, esp. the more common species (Tringa totanus) …   English World dictionary

  • redshank — /ˈrɛdʃæŋk/ (say redshangk) noun either of two Northern Hemisphere wading birds of the genus Tringa, as the common redshank, T. totanus, or spotted redshank, T. erythio, having long red legs …  

  • redshank — noun Date: 1525 a common Old World sandpiper (Tringa totanus) with pale red legs and feet …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • redshank — noun Either of two species of Old World wading bird in the genus Tringa that have long red legs …   Wiktionary

  • redshank — n. large slender wading bird with long red legs …   English contemporary dictionary

  • redshank — noun a large sandpiper with long red legs. [Tringa totanus and T. erythropus.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • redshank — n. either of two sandpipers, Tringa totanus and T. erythropus, with bright red legs …   Useful english dictionary

  • Common Redshank — For the plant called Redshank , see Persicaria maculosa. Common Redshank Breeding plumage Conservation status …   Wikipedia

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