Wood Sandpiper

Tringa glareola

Other Names

    Chevalier sylvain   Bruchwasserläufer   Andarríos Bastarde   Grönbena   Bosruiter   Piro-piro boschereccio

World: Northern Europe through Central Siberia to Kamchatka and Commander Islands. Overwinters in Afica (mostly sub-saharan), across much of southern Asia, through S China and also down through the Philippines and Indonesia reaching Australia.

Kenya: A common winter visitor and passage migrant from July-May on inland wetlands but also coastal estuaries and salt pans.

Although this is primarily a migrant there are small numbers present all the year around on the Rift Valley lakes. It is generally found in small groups although it can occur in larger numbers. It is primarily insectivorous taking aquatic insects and their larvae when on their breeding grounds. Elsewhere will also take terrestrial insects and larvae - sometimes eats small fish and frogs and occasionally supplements its diet with seeds. It's feeding method varies, it can take flying insects from the air but is mostly seen picking insects from the water surface or probing with its bill in mud or shallow water.

It is similar to, and can be confused with, the slightly larger, heavier Green Sandpiper. But the 2 species can be told apart by the supercilliary stripe which is bolder in the Wood Sandpiper and extends behind the eye. The Wood Sandpiper also has a more mottled (spangled) effect to the back patterning.