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Greater Yellowlegs

Status Common transient, rare in summer. Breeds. Only a few first arrivals have been noted before mid-April (average 17 April, earliest 28 March), and it is normally most numerous about mid-May. It breeds in the Cape Breton Highlands and probably in Guysborough and Halifax counties. Non-breeders are found in small numbers elsewhere on the coast. It is an abundant fall migrant: a few arrive in early July; it is most common from mid-August to early September, when numbers gradually decline. Last sightings are routine in November (average 15 November, latest 7 December). Very late birds have been recorded on Christmas Bird Counts: eight around Chezzetcook (Halifax East count) on 20 December, 1969, two at Glace Bay on 26 December 1973, and three at Glace Bay on 26 December 1979.

Description Length 33-38 cm. All plumages: Legs and feet bright yellow. Adults in summer: Upperparts dark gray, spotted and streaked with black and pale gray; uppertail coverts and tail white, more or less barred with black; breast white, thickly spotted with black; sides barred with black; belly white. Adults and immatures in winter: Similar but upperparts brownish gray edge with whitish gray; wing coverts dark gray, sides only slightly barred.

Breeding Nest: A depression in the ground, well concealed and lined with grass and other dry vegetable debris. Eggs: 4; dark buff, irregularly spotted and blotched with rich chocolate-browns of varying densities. The male shares the domestic responsibilities. The species has long been known to occur during summer on the barrens of Cape Breton Highlands National Park at elevations of about 400 m. John S. Erskine saw a young bird swimming there in a weed-infested pond (as though trying to escape) on 20 July 1956 while a pair of adults protested the observer's intrusion. The first nest, with four eggs, was found near Twin Island Lakes, Victoria County, on 27 June 1974 (Majka et al. 1976). There have been summer reports from suitable habitats in Guysborough and Halifax counties.

Range Breeds from Alaska to Newfoundland and, in the east, as far south as northern Nova Scotia. Winters on both coasts from Oregon and New York State, south through Mexico, Central America and the West Indies to southern South America.

Remarks It is one of our larger shorebirds, being readily identified in life by its conspicuously long yellow legs, its dark back and its lightly barred tail and white rump, being very noticeable when the bird takes flight. Its usual call is distinctive three or four rapidly repeated, whistled notes on a descending scale, whew-whew-whew, given excitedly when the bird is flushed. In spring its scolding note, heard when its breeding territory is invaded, is more like oodle-oodle-oodle. (For further distinctions see Lesser Yellowlegs.)