Tringa totanus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CHARADRIIFORMES	SCOLOPACIDAE

Scientific Name:

Tringa totanus

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Common Redshank, Redshank
French	–	Chevalier gambette

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Justification:
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Angola; Armenia; Australia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belarus; Belgium; Botswana; Brunei Darussalam; Bulgaria; Burundi; Cambodia; Cameroon; Cape Verde; Central African Republic; Chad; China; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Egypt; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Estonia; Ethiopia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; Gabon; Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Guam; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lebanon; Liberia; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Mali; Malta; Mauritania; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; Niger; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Togo; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam; Western Sahara; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe Vagrant: Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Canada; Christmas Island; Congo; Gibraltar; Greenland; Rwanda; Seychelles; Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Countries:

Native:

Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Angola; Armenia; Australia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belarus; Belgium; Botswana; Brunei Darussalam; Bulgaria; Burundi; Cambodia; Cameroon; Cape Verde; Central African Republic; Chad; China; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Egypt; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Estonia; Ethiopia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; Gabon; Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Guam; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lebanon; Liberia; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Mali; Malta; Mauritania; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; Niger; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Togo; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam; Western Sahara; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe

Vagrant:

Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Canada; Christmas Island; Congo; Gibraltar; Greenland; Rwanda; Seychelles; Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Range Map:

Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour Most populations of this species are fully migratory and travel on a broad front over land and along coasts, some Icelandic and Western European populations remaining close to their breeding grounds¹. It breeds from March to August² in solitarily pairs or in loose colonies^{1, 2}, departing the breeding grounds from June to October, and returning from the wintering grounds again between February and April². Outside of the breeding season the species forages singly, in small groups¹ or occasionally in larger flocks of up to c.1,000 individuals⁵ especially at roosting sites² or when feeding on fish¹. Habitat Breeding The species breeds on coastal saltmarshes, inland wet grasslands with short swards¹ (including cultivated meadows)³, grassy marshes, swampy heathlands¹ and swampy moors³. Non-breeding On passage the species may frequent inland flooded grasslands¹ and the silty shores of rivers and lakes⁴, but during the winter it is largely coastal¹, occupying rocky, muddy and sandy beaches, saltmarshes, tidal mudflats, saline and freshwater coastal lagoons¹, tidal estuaries³, saltworks and sewage farms¹. Diet Breeding When breeding its diet consists of insects, spiders and annelid worms¹. Non-breeding During the non-breeding season the species takes insects, spiders and annelid worms¹, as well as molluscs, crustaceans (especially amphipods e.g. Corophium spp.)¹ and occasionally small fish and tadpoles¹. Breeding site The nest s a shallow scrape or hollow⁵ on a hummock or at the base of a tuft⁴ of grass¹, often well hidden by overhanging leaves¹. The species usually nests solitarily inland (less than 10 pairs/km²) but in loosely colonial groups (up to 100-300 pairs/km²) on the coast¹. Management information Optimal breeding conditions for this species may be provided by creating a mosaic of unflooded grassland, winter-flooded grassland and shallow pools⁹. Winter flooding of grasslands is beneficial to the species as it helps to keep the sward height short and open and also creates pools which provide a source of aquatic invertebrates in the spring^{9, 13}. Such shallow pools on coastal grazing marshes should be maintained until the end of June¹⁶. The number of breeding pairs on improved grassland was successfully increased on a reserve in Wales by the implementation of a two-year rotation of chisel ploughing, as well as a seasonal sheep and cattle grazing regime and a controlled increase in the water-level¹⁴. At Lower Lough Erne in Northern Ireland the breeding population of the species increased considerably as a result of cutting rush beds in mid-winter (although the species nested on uncut areas, chicks benefited from the presence of adjacent short, open areas for feeding)¹⁵. Low-level grazing of salt marshes (e.g. c.1 cow per hectare) does not appear to affect the species and may even be beneficial to breeding populations^{19, 20}, although cattle should not be put onto the marsh until towards the end of the nesting season (e.g. late-May or early-June) to minimise the risk of nest trampling¹⁹. There is also evidence that too heavy grazing can be detrimental¹⁸. The species is known to show increased hatching success when ground predators have been excluded by erecting protective fences around nesting areas⁸, and in the UK there is evidence that the removal of Spartina anglica from tidal mudflats using a herbicide is beneficial for the species¹⁸.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour Most populations of this species are fully migratory and travel on a broad front over land and along coasts, some Icelandic and Western European populations remaining close to their breeding grounds¹. It breeds from March to August² in solitarily pairs or in loose colonies^{1, 2}, departing the breeding grounds from June to October, and returning from the wintering grounds again between February and April². Outside of the breeding season the species forages singly, in small groups¹ or occasionally in larger flocks of up to c.1,000 individuals⁵ especially at roosting sites² or when feeding on fish¹. Habitat Breeding The species breeds on coastal saltmarshes, inland wet grasslands with short swards¹ (including cultivated meadows)³, grassy marshes, swampy heathlands¹ and swampy moors³. Non-breeding On passage the species may frequent inland flooded grasslands¹ and the silty shores of rivers and lakes⁴, but during the winter it is largely coastal¹, occupying rocky, muddy and sandy beaches, saltmarshes, tidal mudflats, saline and freshwater coastal lagoons¹, tidal estuaries³, saltworks and sewage farms¹. Diet Breeding When breeding its diet consists of insects, spiders and annelid worms¹. Non-breeding During the non-breeding season the species takes insects, spiders and annelid worms¹, as well as molluscs, crustaceans (especially amphipods e.g. Corophium spp.)¹ and occasionally small fish and tadpoles¹. Breeding site The nest s a shallow scrape or hollow⁵ on a hummock or at the base of a tuft⁴ of grass¹, often well hidden by overhanging leaves¹. The species usually nests solitarily inland (less than 10 pairs/km²) but in loosely colonial groups (up to 100-300 pairs/km²) on the coast¹. Management information Optimal breeding conditions for this species may be provided by creating a mosaic of unflooded grassland, winter-flooded grassland and shallow pools⁹. Winter flooding of grasslands is beneficial to the species as it helps to keep the sward height short and open and also creates pools which provide a source of aquatic invertebrates in the spring^{9, 13}. Such shallow pools on coastal grazing marshes should be maintained until the end of June¹⁶. The number of breeding pairs on improved grassland was successfully increased on a reserve in Wales by the implementation of a two-year rotation of chisel ploughing, as well as a seasonal sheep and cattle grazing regime and a controlled increase in the water-level¹⁴. At Lower Lough Erne in Northern Ireland the breeding population of the species increased considerably as a result of cutting rush beds in mid-winter (although the species nested on uncut areas, chicks benefited from the presence of adjacent short, open areas for feeding)¹⁵. Low-level grazing of salt marshes (e.g. c.1 cow per hectare) does not appear to affect the species and may even be beneficial to breeding populations^{19, 20}, although cattle should not be put onto the marsh until towards the end of the nesting season (e.g. late-May or early-June) to minimise the risk of nest trampling¹⁹. There is also evidence that too heavy grazing can be detrimental¹⁸. The species is known to show increased hatching success when ground predators have been excluded by erecting protective fences around nesting areas⁸, and in the UK there is evidence that the removal of Spartina anglica from tidal mudflats using a herbicide is beneficial for the species¹⁸.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The species is threatened by the loss of breeding and wintering habitats through agricultural intensification, wetland drainage, flood control, afforestation, land reclamation, industrial development¹, encroachment of Spartina spp. on mudflats^{1, 18}, improvement of marginal grasslands¹ (e.g. by drainage, inorganic fertilising and re-seeding)¹⁰, coastal barrage construction⁷, and heavy grazing (e.g. of saltmarshes)¹⁷. The species is also threatened by disturbance on intertidal mudflats from construction work (UK)¹¹ and foot-traffic on footpaths¹². It is vulnerable to severe cold periods on its Western European wintering grounds¹ and suffers from nest predation by introduced predators (e.g. European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus) on some islands⁸. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the viurs⁶.

Major Threat(s):

The species is threatened by the loss of breeding and wintering habitats through agricultural intensification, wetland drainage, flood control, afforestation, land reclamation, industrial development¹, encroachment of Spartina spp. on mudflats^{1, 18}, improvement of marginal grasslands¹ (e.g. by drainage, inorganic fertilising and re-seeding)¹⁰, coastal barrage construction⁷, and heavy grazing (e.g. of saltmarshes)¹⁷. The species is also threatened by disturbance on intertidal mudflats from construction work (UK)¹¹ and foot-traffic on footpaths¹². It is vulnerable to severe cold periods on its Western European wintering grounds¹ and suffers from nest predation by introduced predators (e.g. European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus) on some islands⁸. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the viurs⁶.

Bibliography [top]

	Ausden, M.; Badley, J.; James, L. 2005. The effect of introducing cattle grazing to saltmarsh on densities of breeding redshank Tringa totanus at Frampton Marsh RSPB Reserve, Lincolnshire, England. Conservation Evidence 2: 57-59. Ausden, M.; Rowlands, A.; Sutherland, W. J.; James, R. 2003. Diet of breeding Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Redshank Tringa totanus on coastal grazing marsh and implications for habitat management. Bird Study 50: 285-293. Baines, D. 1988. The effects of improvement of upland grassland on the distribution and density of breeding wading birds (Charadriiformes) in northern England. Biological Conservation 45: 221-236. Burton, N. H. K. 2006. The impact of the Cardiff Bay barrage on wintering waterbirds. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), aterbirds around the world, pp. 805. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Burton, N. H. K.; Armitage, M. J. S.; Musgrove, A. J.; Rehfisch, M. M. 2002. Impacts of Man-Made landscape Features on Numbers of Estuarine Waterbirds at Low Tide. Environmental Management 30(6): 857-864. Burton, N. H. K.; Rehfisch, M. M.; Clark, N. A. 2002. Impacts of Disturbance from Construction Work on the Densities and Feeding Behavior of Waterbirds using the Intertidal Mudflats of Cardiff Bay, UK. Environmental Management 30(6): 865-871. del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Evans, P. R. 1986. Use of the Herbicide 'Dalapon' for Control of Spartina Encroaching on Intertidal Mudflats: Beneficial Effects on Shorebirds. Colonial Waterbirds 9(1): 171-175. Flint, V. E.; Boehme, R. L.; Kostin, Y. V.; Kuznetsov, A. A. 1984. A field guide to birds of the USSR. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Hayman, P.; Marchant, J.; Prater, A. J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London. Jackson, D. B. 2001. Experimental Removal of Introduced Hedgehogs Improves Wader Nest Success in the Western Isles, Scotland. Journal of Applied Ecology 38(4): 802-812. Johnsgard, P. A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London. Melville, D. S.; Shortridge, K. F. 2006. Migratory waterbirds and avian influenza in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway with particular reference to the 2003-2004 H5N1 outbreak. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 432-438. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Norris, K.; Brindley, E.; Cook, T.; Babbs, S.; Forster Brown, C.; Yaxley, R. 1998. Is the density of Redshank Tringa totanus nesting on saltmarshes in Great Britain declining due to changes in grazing management? Journal of Applied Ecology 35(5): 621-634. Norris, K.; Cook, T.; O'Dowd, B.; Durdin, C. 1997. The Density of Redshank Tringa totanus Breeding on the Salt-Marshes of the Wash in Relation to Habitat and Its Grazing Management. Journal of Applied Ecology 34(4): 999-1013. Olsen, H.; Schmidt, N. M. 2004. Impacts of wet grassland management and winter severity on wader breeding numbers in eastern Denmark. Basic and Applied Ecology 5: 203-210. Robson, B.; Allcorn, R. I. 2006. Rush cutting to create nesting patches for lapwings Vanellus vanellus and other waders, Lower Lough Erne RSPB reserve, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Conservation Evidence 3: 81-83. Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Squires, R.; Allcorn, R. I. 2006. The effect of chisel ploughing to create nesting habitat for breeding lapwings Vanellus vanellus at Ynys-Hir RSPB reserve, Powys, Wales. Conservation Evidence 3: 77-78.

Ausden, M.; Badley, J.; James, L. 2005. The effect of introducing cattle grazing to saltmarsh on densities of breeding redshank Tringa totanus at Frampton Marsh RSPB Reserve, Lincolnshire, England. Conservation Evidence 2: 57-59.

Ausden, M.; Rowlands, A.; Sutherland, W. J.; James, R. 2003. Diet of breeding Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Redshank Tringa totanus on coastal grazing marsh and implications for habitat management. Bird Study 50: 285-293.

Baines, D. 1988. The effects of improvement of upland grassland on the distribution and density of breeding wading birds (Charadriiformes) in northern England. Biological Conservation 45: 221-236.

Burton, N. H. K. 2006. The impact of the Cardiff Bay barrage on wintering waterbirds. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), aterbirds around the world, pp. 805. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Burton, N. H. K.; Armitage, M. J. S.; Musgrove, A. J.; Rehfisch, M. M. 2002. Impacts of Man-Made landscape Features on Numbers of Estuarine Waterbirds at Low Tide. Environmental Management 30(6): 857-864.

Burton, N. H. K.; Rehfisch, M. M.; Clark, N. A. 2002. Impacts of Disturbance from Construction Work on the Densities and Feeding Behavior of Waterbirds using the Intertidal Mudflats of Cardiff Bay, UK. Environmental Management 30(6): 865-871.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Evans, P. R. 1986. Use of the Herbicide 'Dalapon' for Control of Spartina Encroaching on Intertidal Mudflats: Beneficial Effects on Shorebirds. Colonial Waterbirds 9(1): 171-175.

Flint, V. E.; Boehme, R. L.; Kostin, Y. V.; Kuznetsov, A. A. 1984. A field guide to birds of the USSR. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

Hayman, P.; Marchant, J.; Prater, A. J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London.

Jackson, D. B. 2001. Experimental Removal of Introduced Hedgehogs Improves Wader Nest Success in the Western Isles, Scotland. Journal of Applied Ecology 38(4): 802-812.

Johnsgard, P. A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London.

Melville, D. S.; Shortridge, K. F. 2006. Migratory waterbirds and avian influenza in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway with particular reference to the 2003-2004 H5N1 outbreak. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 432-438. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Norris, K.; Brindley, E.; Cook, T.; Babbs, S.; Forster Brown, C.; Yaxley, R. 1998. Is the density of Redshank Tringa totanus nesting on saltmarshes in Great Britain declining due to changes in grazing management? Journal of Applied Ecology 35(5): 621-634.

Norris, K.; Cook, T.; O'Dowd, B.; Durdin, C. 1997. The Density of Redshank Tringa totanus Breeding on the Salt-Marshes of the Wash in Relation to Habitat and Its Grazing Management. Journal of Applied Ecology 34(4): 999-1013.

Olsen, H.; Schmidt, N. M. 2004. Impacts of wet grassland management and winter severity on wader breeding numbers in eastern Denmark. Basic and Applied Ecology 5: 203-210.

Robson, B.; Allcorn, R. I. 2006. Rush cutting to create nesting patches for lapwings Vanellus vanellus and other waders, Lower Lough Erne RSPB reserve, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Conservation Evidence 3: 81-83.

Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Squires, R.; Allcorn, R. I. 2006. The effect of chisel ploughing to create nesting habitat for breeding lapwings Vanellus vanellus at Ynys-Hir RSPB reserve, Powys, Wales. Conservation Evidence 3: 77-78.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Tringa totanus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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