Photo: AMMuench / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Wandering Tattler
Tringa incana
Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 108 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Tringa
- Species incana
Where it lives
Subarctic montane tundra of far northeastern Palearctic and northwestern Nearctic: Chukotka (northeastern Siberia), Alaska mainland (except far northern), Yukon, far NWT and northwestern British Columbia (northwestern Canada)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 108 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Wandering Tattler hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Wandering Tattler is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana) belongs to the Scolopacidae family of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers PAL, NA subarctic montane tundra of far ne Palearctic and nw Nearctic: Chukotka (ne Siberia), Alaska mainland (except far n), Yukon, far NWT and nw British Columbia (nw Canada).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 108 g, with a wing length of about 16.5 cm and a tail of around 7.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Wandering Tattler?
The Wandering Tattler is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 108 g.
Where does the Wandering Tattler live?
The Wandering Tattler is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering PAL, NA subarctic montane tundra of far ne Palearctic and nw Nearctic: Chukotka (ne Siberia), Alaska mainland (except far n), Yukon, far NWT and nw British Columbia (nw Canada), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Wandering Tattler belong to?
The Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Wandering Tattler eat?
The Wandering Tattler hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Wandering Tattler migrate?
The Wandering Tattler is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Wandering Tattler endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Wandering Tattler make?
1 real field recording of the Wandering Tattler — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Wandering Tattler's range?
The Wandering Tattler has a mapped global range of about 1.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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