Hobby (Falco subbuteo)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Small and very elegant falcon, with white throat and rufous thighs (adults). Long, narrow wings and medium long tail. Dark grey above and heavily streaked below. Head dark, with marked facial pattern resembling Peregrine. Tail often looks slightly wedge-shaped. Impressive speed of flight, with acrobatic skills when hunting. Often hunts flying birds high in the air. Slower flight action when hunting insects. Will glide, but seldom hovers (as opposed to Red-footed Falcon). Perched birds shows wing-tips reaching end of tail.
Sound:Varied, but not very vocal. Calls when courting and at breeding ground. Most common sound a high-pitched "tew-tew-tew". Similar to Wryneck, but less pleading. Also a sneezing "ktcho".
Call:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCCC-photo:markkilner, Licence,Link,
Sounds:Recorded by Harry Lehte,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license
Unmistakable in breeding plumage, with all dark/blackish body unique among Tringas. Most birds seen in Europe will probably be in winter- or juvenile plumage, and can then be mistaken for Redshanks. Spotted Redshanks are slimmer, longer legged and more elegant than Redshanks. The supercilium is much more prominent, the bill is slimmer and longer. Most diagnostic is the lack of white wing-bars, and the white sigar-shaped patch on the back. The barring in juveniles reaches from the belly and all the way back to the vent. Often feeds in deeper water than Redshanks, even by swimming and upending.
Sound:Flight call loud and diagnostic, and is often the first sign of the species' presence; a sharp and short, disyllabic "koo-eett", with the first syllable falling in pitch and the second rising sharply. Display call a squeaky, but melodic "krroo-lee-ooo" repeated in cycles. Alarm call a falcon-like "ke-ke-ke-ke".
Flight calll, song:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSounds:Recorded by Stein Ø. Nilsen,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license