Lesser Yellowlegs

We spent more time at the Celery Fields (east of Sarasota) than any other single location, a truly fine birding spot with excellent viewing platforms and helpful volunteers from the Sarasota Audubon chapter. The pond near the main parking lot (north side along the entry road) had scores of Dowitchers, but smaller numbers of Lesser Yellowlegs caught my eye most of the time, as we just don't see them often in coastal California.

First shot shows the straight black bill of the Lesser, barely longer that the length of the head from occiput to bill. Note the minimal black barring on the flank. 

Lesser Yellowlegs is quite similar to the larger Greater Yellowlegs in coloration, but a good look at the bill will usually separate these 2 tringa sandpipers. The Lesser's bill is finer, especially at the base, straighter, and black year-round. Greater's bill is thick at the base, usually more up-curved, and gray at the base except during breeding plumage. This shot from the Vic Fazio wetland (Yolo Bypass, near Sacramento, CA) shows the 2 species together:

In the next shott shot we can better appreciate the long the neck of this species, compared with most other sandpipers, along with its bright yellow legs. 

Last shot, below, shows a breeding plumage Greater Yellowlegs taken at the Giacomini wetlands in Pt. Reyes Station, Ca. Note the extensive barring on the flanks, and thick base of the bill is now black in color.

The call of the Greater Yellowlegs call is very distinctive a series of 3-4 loud "tu-tu-tu" notes usually given during flight.  The Lesser YL is perhaps less vocal and when it does call it does so with a less alarmed quality.

Among the tringa tribe (Tringini) the Lesser Yellowlegs is thought  to be closest to the Willet genetically, while the Greater YL is a more distant relative. Good example of convergent evolution in action.

Greater Yellowlegs -Tringa melanoleuca

While doing a Richardson Bay survey I spotted a Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) along the shore, and couldn't resist taking a few shots. Melanoleuca  means black and white, and I like to think of it as "salt and pepper". In breeding plumage the bird indeed appears more black and white, but in winter the upperparts are more gray, with a brown tinge, as seen here. I like these shots because they show how the base of the bill has some color, which helps distinguish it from the Lesser Yellowlegs (T. flavipes). The bill of the Greater YL is also longer, slightly upturned at times, and thicker at the base than the bill of the Lesser. 

Here'a another shot, showing the view more from the rear.

It's interesting to note the DNA studies suggest that the Greater Yellowlegs is closely related to the "shanks", i.e. Greenshank and Spotted Redshank, both large birds in the Tringa genus. The lesser Yellowlegs is in fact more closely related to the Willet. A good example of convergent evolution at work.