Lesser yellowlegs

Young lesser yellowlegs wading among wet rocks at the water's edge, its yellow legs and reflection mirrored in the still water

The lesser yellowlegs is a slim, long-legged shorebird with bright yellow legs and a thin, straight bill about as long as its head. It is smaller and more delicate than its cousin, the greater yellowlegs, and it spends its days wading in shallow water, picking insects and small crustaceans from the mud.

Lesser yellowlegs nest in the northern wetlands of Manitoba and pass through the rest of the province in spring and again from July through October, on their way to and from the southern United States, Central America, and South America. They often feed in loose, quiet groups, and their call is a soft whistle of one or two notes.

I like how this young bird steps through the shallows in the warm low light, with its yellow legs and its reflection doubled in the still water.

To find out more about the lesser yellowlegs and the places it lives, visit All About Birds.

Lesser yellowlegs Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the lesser yellowlegs in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the lesser yellowlegs nests and migrates, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the lesser yellowlegs in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, and the Boreal Plains (gold) and passing through the Southern Arctic and the Prairies in spring and fall (lilac). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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