
Photo: egorbirder · CC BY 4.0
Tringa stagnatilis
Habitat
Grassy steppe and taiga wetlands when breeding; freshwater swamps and lakes in winter
Size
22–26cm
Wingspan
55–59cm
Weight
45–120g
The marsh sandpiper is a small, elegant shank, 22–26cm long with a wingspan of 55–59cm and a weight of 45–120g. It looks like a slim greenshank, with a long, fine, straight bill and very long yellowish legs, greyish-brown in breeding plumage and paler in winter, and it shows a white wedge up the back in flight. Despite the resemblance, it is more closely related to the common redshank and wood sandpiper, sharing their light brown breeding plumage with diffuse spots on the breast and neck (Wikipedia, general species account).
In winter it prefers freshwater wetlands such as swamps and lakes and is usually seen singly or in small groups (Wikipedia, general species account).