GREATER YELLOW-LEGS (Totanus 

 melanoleucus] . During migrations, these 

 rather large shore birds, measuring about 

 14 in. in length, appear abundantly in mead- 

 ows, marshes, about ponds, streams or even 

 on sandy beaches. They wade in the shal- 

 lows, picking up all forms of animal life, 

 even small fishes, or run with graceful car- 

 riage along the shore. While they may at 

 times be met in large flocks, they usually 

 go in companies of about six. They are 

 exceedingly wary and suspicious; at the first 

 sight of anyone approaching, away they go 

 uttering loud warning whistles which re- 

 semble wheu-wheu-wheu, alarming everything 

 within hearing, often to the great discom- 

 fiture of the sportsmen. Because of these 

 tactics they are not very favorably regarded, 

 as some of their local names show, such 

 as "Greater Tell-tale," "Tattler" and 

 "Yelper." They are also termed "Winter 

 Yellow-legs," because they appear within 

 our border later in fall than the next species, 

 usually not coming until August, while the 

 next species arrives in July. Their call note 

 is a clear, musical tu-weep, very different 

 from the alarm cry. 



It is a beautiful sight to watch a company 

 of Yellow-legs arriving at their feeding 

 grounds. We hear the calls indicating their 

 approach even before the birds become visi- 

 ble high in the air. Sweeping swiftly down on their long angular wings, 

 they circle about once or twice to make sure no enemies are lurking, then 

 sail gracefully to the ground; as soon as their feet touch earth, their wings 

 are carefully stretched upward to their fullest extent and then properly 

 tucked away on the back. This is a habit that many shore birds have upon 

 alighting. 



Greater Yellow-legs breed in northern Canada and winter from the Gulf 

 States south to Patagonia. 



LESSER YELLOW-LEGS (Totanus flampes] . Also called " Summer Yel- 

 low-legs," in addition to most of the local names given under the preceding. 

 Their breeding and winter range, as well as migration routes correspond to 

 those of the larger species. The present one measures about n in. in length. 



37 



GREATER YELLOW-LEGS 

 YELLOW-LEGS 



