- Lifespan
- 10–15 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 27–29 cm, wingspan 43–46 cm; 80–135 g
- Habitat
- Breeds on wet grasslands, marshes, and moorland; winters on estuaries, coastal mudflats, and inland wetlands.
- UK Distribution
- Widespread breeder across the UK, particularly in Scotland, northern England, and Wales. Summer visitor to many areas; some birds resident year-round, with populations boosted by continental migrants in winter.
- Diet
- Invertebrates including insects, spiders, worms, small crustaceans, and molluscs found in wet soil and shallow water.
- Predators
- Foxes, stoats, and corvids (particularly crows and magpies) predate eggs and chicks; avian predators include sparrowhawks and peregrines.
- Mating Season
- April to July
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4 eggs; incubation period 22–25 days; typically one brood per year. Chicks fledge at 25–28 days.
- Behaviour
- Highly vocal and conspicuous, especially during breeding season when pairs perform noisy, aerial display flights. Often seen in small flocks outside breeding season. Redshanks are active foragers, wading in shallow water and probing muddy substrates with their distinctive long red legs and bills.