Spotted Redshank Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
The Spotted Redshank doesn’t breed in the UK and is mainly a passage migrant which can often be spotted during spring and autumn. They are slim, elegant waders with long legs and a long thin bill.
During the summer when they have their breeding plumage, Spotted Redshanks are easy to identify because of their dark colour and white spots. During autumn and winter they take on a grey back and white underparts and look much paler than the UK’s resident Redshank.
In this article we take a look at the lifecycle of the Spotted Redshank from nest building to fledging and much more besides. Keep reading to find out more about these fascinating Spring and Autumn visitors.
Table of Contents
How Long Does A Spotted Redshank Live?
In the wild, the average life expectancy of the Spotted Redshank is around 7 to 10 years and is dependent on predation, climatic conditions, disease and the abundance of food supplies.
However, there have been some rare instances of Spotted Redshank individuals surviving for more than 17 years according to ring records.
How Fast Can A Spotted Redshank Fly?
The top speed of a Spotted Redshank when in flight is around 37 mph (60 km/h) or 16.5 metres per second. These high speeds are necessary when you consider just how far these small, lightweight birds fly in one year.
They fly from their breeding grounds up in the northern Palearctic and northern Scandinavia all the way south to the Mediterranean, the southern half of the UK and even as far as Africa and tropical Asia.
Are Spotted Redshanks Aggressive?
Outside of the breeding season, Spotted Redshanks are relatively peaceful birds. During the breeding season it’s a different story.
Males can be highly aggressive defending their territories and physically clashing with other males during aerial fights. They will also become aggressive towards any would-be intruders when protecting their nests, eggs and chicks.
What Is A Spotted Redshank’s Habitat?
The breeding habitat of the Spotted Redshank is typically woodland tundra with open heathland and expanses of shrubby moorland. The Spotted Redshank often select areas of coniferous and mixed woodlands for building their nests.
The majority of Spotted Redshanks breed in countries like Norway, Finland, Sweden and Russia. They winter in warmer areas including southern Europe, the southern parts of the UK, central Africa, West India and parts of southeast Asia.
How Long Does It Take For A Spotted Redshank To Build A Nest?
The time taken for a breeding pair of Spotted Redshanks to build a nest varies from a few hours to a few days and depends on environmental conditions and the availability of suitable nesting materials.
Once a suitable site has been agreed upon, the pair make a simple scrape nest. Which is a shallow depression in the ground which is lined with grass, leaves, pine needles, moss and other soft plant materials.
These nests are typically located on boggy or marshy ground or amongst grass tussocks close to woodlands and areas of swampy forests.
Eggs
Once the nest has been successfully established, the pair move onto the next stage in the life cycle which is the egg laying.
When Do Spotted Redshanks Lay Eggs?
Spotted Redshanks typically lay their eggs in early to mid May after arriving at their nesting grounds around mid to late April. They usually start egg laying just as soon as the nest has been completed.
How Many Eggs Does A Spotted Redshank Lay?
The female will lay a clutch of around 3 to 5 eggs with an average of 4 eggs per clutch. The number of eggs laid is dependent on the age and health of the female.
Younger or malnourished birds are likely to lay less eggs than healthier, more experienced individuals.
What Do Spotted Redshank Eggs Look Like?
The eggs of the Spotted Redshank are a pale green-olive colour and are speckled with dark brown-purple blotches or streaks. The eggs are around 47 x 32 mm in size and oval in shape.
How Long Do Spotted Redshank Eggs Take To Hatch?
The eggs are incubated by both partners during the early stages of incubation. Towards the 2nd week of incubation the female leaves the nest and the incubation is continued solely by the male.
The total incubation period lasts for around 23 to 24 days.
Chicks
The next stage in the life cycle of the Spotted Redshank is the raising of the chicks. This task is carried out by the male on his own. By the time the eggs hatch, the female has left the area completely.
How Many Chicks Does A Spotted Redshank Have?
The number of chicks that hatch should correspond to the number of eggs laid. In many cases however, out of 4 eggs laid only 3 survive to the fledgling stage.
Younglings are the target of predators and get picked off relatively easily.
When Do Spotted Redshank Chicks Open Their Eyes?
Spotted Redshank chicks are precocial which means their eyes are open and they’re covered in down as soon as they hatch or shortly afterwards.
They can generally leave the nest within 24 to 48 hours after hatching and follow their father to their feeding grounds where they learn what to eat and where to find it.
When Do Spotted Redshank Chicks Fledge?
The younglings start to develop their flight feathers at around 4 to 5 weeks of age. They start exercising their wings in preparation for flying until they are around 6 to 7 weeks old.
It’s around this time that they take their first flight and fledge the nest soon afterwards.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The average lifespan of the Spotted Redshank is around 7 to 10 years. There have been recorded instances of individuals surviving for 17 years or more.
Spotted Redshank eggs are pale green-olive coloured with brown or purple speckles.
Spotted Redshanks breed in countries like Norway, Finland, Sweden and Russia.
Spotted redshank chicks fledge the nest at around 6 to 7 weeks after hatching. They start to develop flight feathers at around the age of 4 to 5 weeks. From that point onwards they exercise their wing muscles and can usually fly a week or two later.
