BirdUp · Species
Wandering Tattler
Tringa incana(Gmelin, JF, 1789)
Updated
- Order
- CHARADRIIFORMES
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Genus
- Tringa
At a glance
The Wandering Tattler is a medium-sized bird, about 26–30 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 26–30 cm
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Very common
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a Wandering Tattler look like?
The Wandering Tattler is a medium-sized bird, about 26–30 cm long and weighing 87–165 g, identified by its uniformly plain grey back and wings; heavy dark barring on underparts (breeding); grey wash on breast, clean white belly (non-breeding); and short, dull yellow to greenish-yellow legs.
The wandering tattler is a medium-sized shorebird, similar in appearance to the closely related gray-tailed tattler. The tattlers are unique among the species of Tringa for having unpatterned, greyish wings and backs, and a scaly breast pattern extending more or less onto the belly in breeding plumage, in which both also have a rather prominent supercilium.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
- 01
Uniformly plain grey back and wings
Lacks obvious patterns, spots, or streaks, except when breeding.
- 02
Heavy dark barring on underparts (breeding)
Barring is extensive and well-defined, giving a scaly or chevroned appearance that extends well down the flanks and belly.
- 03
Grey wash on breast, clean white belly (non-breeding)
The grey wash is diffuse and unstreaked across the breast, contrasting sharply with the clean white belly.
- 04
Short, dull yellow to greenish-yellow legs
Legs are noticeably short and stocky for a medium-sized wader.
03 · When
When to look
When can you see a Wandering Tattler?
The Wandering Tattler is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a Wandering Tattler eat?
The Wandering Tattler feeds on intertidal invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks or alone.
06 · Gallery
Plumage up close
2 photos
The BirdUp app
Log your next Wandering Tattler in the field
A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.