- Lifespan
- 10–12 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 25–27 cm, wingspan 37–43 cm; 80–110 g
- Habitat
- Wet grassland, marshes, reed beds, and boggy areas with soft ground for probing and nesting cover.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK, with resident populations year-round supplemented by migratory birds from northern Europe during autumn and winter.
- Diet
- Invertebrates extracted from soft mud and wet soil, including earthworms, insect larvae, and small crustaceans.
- Prey
- Earthworms, chironomid larvae, mayfly nymphs, oligochaetes, amphipods
- Predators
- Foxes, stoats, weasels, crows, ravens, and birds of prey such as Merlin and Hen Harrier; gulls and corvids take chicks.
- Mating Season
- March to June
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4 eggs, incubation period 18–20 days, single brood per season. Chicks are precocial and fledge at 19–20 days.
- Behaviour
- Highly cryptic and solitary, relying on camouflage to avoid detection. Males perform striking aerial displays during breeding season, producing loud chip calls and vibrating tail feathers to create a drumming sound.