Spotted redshank

    Tringa erythropus

Castilian: Archibebe oscuro

Catalan: Gamba roja pintada

Gallego: Bilurico escuro

Euskera: Bernagorri iluna

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Charadriiformes

Family: Scolopacidae

Migratory status: Passage migrant

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

The principal threats are the destruction and transformation of its habitat and human disturbances.

Length / size: 29-31 cm / 61-67 cm

Identification: Medium-sized wader. Its legs are longer than the width of its body; its bill, with the orange base of the lower mandible, is greater than its head in length. During mating season adults develop a characteristic black colouration with light-coloured edging on the back feathers, dark legs, and a white eye-ring. Plumage is greyish during the rest of the year, the underparts are light in colour, the white forehead contrasts with the dark bridles, and the legs are orange.

Song: In flight it makes a fast "chueet chueet" call.

Diet: It feeds on invertebrates.

Reproduction: The nest is located in a depression in the ground, among vegetation, and it is covered with leaves, stalks and feathers. The male is responsible for incubation and caring for the chicks, which, shortly after hatching, are already very precocious.

HABITAT

During breeding season it establishes itself in lands where water is available nearby, but the rest of the year it occupies coastal areas, such as estuaries and salt marshes, and wet inland areas, such as rice fields and lakes.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It rarely appears in the Guadalquivir marshes and the Ebro Delta when wintering and migrationg.

In Castile and León: It frequently appears when wintering in Villafáfila (Zamora).

Movements and migrations: The postnuptial migration takes place in the Strait of Gibraltar from July to October, and the prenuptial between March and May. The females are the first to leave for the wintering areas in western Africa, leaving the males to incubate the clutch. Shortly after the male, together with the juveniles, will also leave for the mentioned areas to spend the winter there.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of between a few dozen and 2000-3000 wintering specimens.

In Castile and León: