wandering tattler

The wandering tattler is a shorebird known for its tendency to become easily alarmed and call loudly when sensing danger. It belongs to the subfamily Tringinae within the Scolopacidae family. This bird closely resembles the yellowlegs but is distinguished by its short legs and barred underparts during the summer months.1

The wandering tattler (Heteroscelus incanus) nests on gravel bars in Alaskan rivers and migrates to winter in areas ranging from Mexico to islands in the western Pacific. A closely related species, the Polynesian tattler (H. brevipes), is slightly smaller and has different nesting habits, often utilizing abandoned songbird nests. The Polynesian tattler winters in regions such as the Philippines, Malaysia, and Australia. Both species are similar in form and size to the yellowlegs, with uniform slaty gray upperparts.12