GREENSHANK, 271 



Family CHARADRTID^E. Genus TOTANUS. 



Sub-family TOTANINsE. 



GREENSHANK. 



TOTANUS GLOTTIS (Linnaus). 

 Single Brooded. Laying season, May. 



BRITISH BREEDING AREA : The Greenshank breeds 

 sparingly in the Outer Hebrides, and in a few localities 

 in the inner islands, especially Skye. On the mainland 

 it becomes commoner and more widely dispersed over 

 the counties of Inverness, Argyle, Perth, Ross, Suther- 

 land, and Caithness, but not reaching the Orkneys and 

 the Shetlands. It has never been known to breed in 

 England or in Ireland. 



BREEDING HABITS : The Greenshank is a summer 

 migrant to our islands, reaching them towards the end 

 of April, or early in May, but a few are said to spend 

 the winter in Ireland, perhaps individuals that have 

 bred in the Hebrides. Its favourite breeding-grounds 

 are moors, often within sight of the sea, which contain 

 lochs and streams, and abound in bogs and swamps. 

 The Greenshank is neither gregarious nor social during 

 the nesting season, the pairs being scattered here and 

 there over the moors, and each keeping to themselves. 

 It is not improbable that this bird pairs for life, as a 

 considerable attachment to favourite haunts may be 

 remarked. The nest is always made upon the ground, 

 and is a difficult one to find. It is often placed amongst 

 heather or other herbage close to the margin of a stream 

 or loch ; often in a tuft of moor grass or on a little 

 mound of dry ground surrounded by swamp. The nest 

 is merely a hollow lined with a few bits of withered 

 herbage. The Greenshank is not a close sitter, rising 



