The three plumages of Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank is a shining example of a bird which has three, very distinct plumages. Yes, there are intermediate-looking birds when in moult between the main adult types, but if you see a Spotted Redshank you can generally, with confidence, say whether it is in breeding plumage, winter plumage, or is a juvenile. Here are the three main plumage types for Spotted Redshank, all of which can be seen as autumn rolls around. Note that all birds share the same long-legged, slim, Tringa structure and long, thin straight bill with a red base to the mandible (but not the maxilla). Also, all have the distinctive white oval on the back and rump and feet projecting well beyond the tail in flight.

ADULT BREEDING

In full breeding plumage, the Spotted Redshank is just about as black as any wader gets. In Michael Palin’s Python spin-off Ripping Yarns a character called Eric Olthwaite, who is obsessed with how black black puddings are, says: “even the white bits were black”. With breeding Spotted Redshanks, even its eponymous red legs are black! There is a bit of a fine white eye-ring and some white spotting on the back and wings (and a white underwing and rump, and barred tail) but this is one black wader.

ADULT WINTER

In contrast with breeding birds, winter Spotted Redshanks are notably pale (pale grey above, white below) and have bright red legs. They are greyer than Redshanks and have a more obvious white supercilium (and a very different wing pattern, lacking the white trailing edge). Concentrate on the structure and particularly the bill shape.

JUVENILE

Like many juvenile waders, juvenile Spotted Redshanks are very neat birds, sporting fresh (unworn) feathers, which from a distance make them look mid grey-brown. With a better view, they are finely barred and neatly spotted, and quite unlike the adult winter and breeding birds. Juveniles start to come through from late summer onwards.