Green sandpiper

    Tringa ochropus

Castilian: Andarríos grande

Catalan: Xivita

Gallego: Bilurico alinegro

Euskera: Kuliska iluna

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Charadriiformes

Family: Scolopacidae

Migratory status: Winter resident

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

This species is very sensitive to the changes that the rivers and ponds where it winters can suffer; human disturbances during mating season, illegal hunting and the destruction of its habitat are also significant.

Length / size: 21-24 cm / 57-61 cm

Identification: Small- to medium-sized wader whose bill is as long as its head; its legs are greyish and barely emerge from its tail in flight; it also has a white forehead that goes from the eye to the bill. During mating season, the adult's back is dark with white spots; its throat and belly are white and contrast with the crown, neck and breast, which are streaked with brown. When it is perched it performs a characteristic rocking movement. In flight it appears very dark in contrast with its white rump and tail that has wide transverse stripes.

Song: It makes a whistling "twee weet weet weet" sound in flight and as a call.

Diet: It feeds on aquatic and land invertebrates, and occasionally small fish.

Reproduction: It has tree-dwelling habits when nesting. It uses existing nests of birds or squirrels, or accumulations of branches, which it can cover up with plant matter. Both adults incubate and the chicks leave the high nest to look for water shortly after being born.

HABITAT

It is a species that is linked to inland bodies of water: reservoirs, flooded farmland, lakes with silty watersides, canals, irrigation ditches and pastureland.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is unevenly distributed throughout the entire peninsula, and in the Canary and Balearic Islands.

In Castile and León: It is distributed throughout all the provinces.

Movements and migrations: It is a migratory species that moves throughout inland bodies of water. The postnuptial passage takes place between July and September, and the spring passage between March and April.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 25-770 wintering specimens.

In Castile and León: