COMMON REDSHANK. 299 



but like many other birds that breed in swampy places, 

 it has become less numerous than in former years, 

 since so much marsh land has been reclaimed. Its 

 numbers, however, are largely increased by autumn 

 migrations. It feeds upon worms, insects, and small 

 marine animals. 



The breeding-places of the Redshank are the open 

 swamps and salt marshes not far from the sea ; many 

 birds often retire farther inland. The nest is placed 

 upon the ground and is usually carefully concealed 

 beneath some tuft of herbage or bunch of heather. 

 It consists of simply a few bits of grass and moss or 

 heather placed in a slight hollow in the ground. 



The eggs are four in number, cream colour or rich 

 buff in ground colour, spotted and blotched with rich 

 dark brown and with underlying markings of grey. 

 Several of the nests of this bird may be found in close 

 proximity. 



The Redshank is at all times a shy and wary bird, 

 and when its young are hatched it becomes excessively 

 anxious. Atkinson says: "When the young are newly 

 hatched the parent birds betray excessive jealousy and 

 anxiety at the approach of either man or dog to their 

 resort. They have sometimes come and settled on 

 the ground within two or three paces of me, and, 

 at others, flown so directly towards me, piping most 

 plaintively and incessantly the while. This conduct 

 is designated by the term ' mobbing ' on the Essex 

 marshes." 



The bird is said to be easily kept in confinement. 



