Greenshank

Greenshank (Totamis glottis), acommon European sandpiper (q.v.), visiting Britain in spring and autumn, and occasionally breeding in the northern parts. The length is about 14 inches; the plumage shades of brown and grey, darker in the summer than in the winter, when the under surface becomes quite white. These birds feed on insects, worms, and small molluscs. The popular name refers to the colour of the long legs.