When I went to help with the Fish Bay beach cleanup I noticed that a few of the island’s migratory shore birds were back
from their breeding areas up north – and were taking the time to pick up a few
things themselves along the shoreline.
The color of their long legs was a giveaway – but were they
greater or lesser yellowlegs? Sometimes it’s not so easy to tell. Lesser
yellowlegs are usually about 10 to 11 inches tall, while the greater ones are
slightly stockier and range from 11-15 inches tall. Not a very clear
distinction.
 |
| Lesser Yellowlegs |
 |
| Greater Yellowlegs |
My birding buddy, Kathy, told me to look at their bills. For
the lesser yellowlegs, the bill is supposed to be about the same length as the
size of its head. The greater ones have bills that are about 1.5 times the size
of their heads, and are somewhat thicker and blunter. Unfortunately you aren’t
always close enough or at the right angle to get a clear look at their
profiles.
They sound a little bit different too, if you have a chance
to hear them. You can compare their calls here:
Overall, you will see more of the lesser yellowlegs on St.
John, so that is usually my first guess. Both types breed in the far north in
the summer then move back south, but greater numbers of the lesser yellowlegs
seem to stay on and spend the winter on St. John.
Though both types can be seen in freshwater or saltwater
habitats, I have mostly seen groups of lesser yellowlegs in the shallow freshwater ponds or brackish wetlands around Fish Bay.
Though they have also enjoyed picking through the rich
treasure trove of tidbits that arrive when the sargassum seaweed piles up along
the shoreline.
