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Range
 Breeds
from central Alaska, the Yukon, and northern British Columbia eastward
to James Bay. Winters from the southern United States to southern
South America.
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Status
In spring, an abundant migrant in the
Peace Lowlands, a fairly common to common migrant through the rest
of the interior, and a rare to uncommon, locally very common, migrant
on the coast. In autumn, an uncommon to locally abundant migrant
over most of the province. Very rare winter visitant on the south
coast. Breeds. |
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Status
Change
No change. |
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Nonbreeding
The Lesser Yellowlegs is one of the most
abundant medium-sized shorebirds in British Columbia. It is widely
distributed throughout the province although it is consistently
abundant only east of the Rocky Mountains, particularly in the Peace
and Fort Nelson lowlands. Elsewhere in the province, it is generally
more numerous during the autumn movement than during the spring
movement. In southern areas the species is usually less common in
spring but more numerous in autumn than the Greater Yellowlegs.
It has been reported from sea level to 1,450 m elevation.
The Lesser Yellowlegs occurs in the same
habitats as the Greater Yellowlegs. On the coast it frequents sheltered
bays and estuaries with tidal mud flats, preferring slightly more
sheltered spots than the Greater Yellowlegs. In tidal marshes it
is found in shallower waters along edges of muddy areas but it also
occurs on exposed muddy and sandy beaches. The Lesser Yellowlegs
also roosts on rocky beaches, near-shore rocks, and logs. In the
interior it frequents muddy areas including wet fields, sloughs,
marshes, mudflats, sewage lagoons, ploughed fields, slow-moving
creeks, and lake shores. Migrant flocks have been reported roosting
on wharves at Parker Lake (Fort Nelson). It is often seen swimming
like phalaropes in water too deep for wading. In August, small numbers
frequent alpine lakes. Spring migration begins in March on the south
coast and in mid-April in the southern interior, with a province-wide
peak from late April through early May. In early summer, small numbers
of non-breeders or late migrants occur south of their breeding range.
Autumn migration begins in late June and builds
through July as adults move south. A
second, stronger passage begins in late July in the north, and mid-to-late
August in the south as juveniles pass through. Numbers taper off
steadily from September to October, except on the Fraser River estuary
where high numbers may remain until late September. By November,
the species is absent from the interior and scarce on the south
coast. In winter, a few birds occur irregularly on southern Vancouver
Island or near Vancouver, but it is not a regular winter visitant
as is the Greater Yellowlegs. The Lesser Yellowlegs travels in singles
or small flocks, but aggregations of up to 1,000 birds may occur
in good foraging localities, particularly at Cecil Lake (Goodlow),
the Fort St. John sewage lagoons, Salmon Arm, Iona Island, and Reifel
Island. |
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Breeding
 The
Lesser Yellowlegs breeds across the extreme northern portions of
the province including the Peace and Fort Nelson lowlands, Stikine
and Teslin plateaus, and Chilkat Pass area at elevations ranging
between 750 and 1,200 m. It is most numerous in the Peace Lowlands
and the Boreal Forest region east of the Rocky Mountains, becoming
less abundant west of the Rocky Mountains. Campbell and McNall (1982)
estimated 1 to 2 birds per km of road east of Fort Nelson in June
1982.
The Lesser Yellowlegs frequents semi-open
coniferous woodland with sparse, low undergrowth, near swampy or
wet areas such as boggy openings in spruce swamps, subalpine marshes,
and lakeside forest clearings. Road allowances and seismic lines
have created additional nesting habitat. Wet, swampy marshes are
used as brood-rearing sites. |
| Nests: 
Nests (n=5) were shallow scrapes
in the ground lined with small amounts of debris such as grasses,
dry leaves, sedges, or twigs. Two nests were situated in wet sub-alpine
marshes, one in a forest clearing, one on a road right-of-way, and
one on a seismic line through a black spruce bog. The nest found
on the seismic line was on a dry rise, under a 2 m high scrub birch,
among stunted black spruce, heather mounds, and wet sphagnum; puddles
were within a few metres. One nest was situated on a small hummock.
Eggs:
Dates for 5 clutches ranged from 4 to
16 June. Calculated dates indicate that eggs could be found as early
as 20 May. Clutch size ranged from 3 to 4 eggs (3E-1, 4E-4). Incubation
period is 22 to 23 days (Jehl and Smith 1970).
Young:
Dates for 21 broods ranged from 13 June
to 17 July with 12 broods found between 24 June and 3 July. Sizes
for 19 broods ranged from 1 to 3 young (1Y-7, 2Y-5, 3Y-7). Fledging
period is probably 23 to 25 days (Johnsgard 1981). |
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Remarks
Hayman et al. (1986) discuss the problem
of identifying yellowlegs in the field. |
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This
information was scanned from The Birds of British Columbia (Campbell et
al.) Volume II, pages 138-140. Volumes I, II and III of The Birds of British
Columbia can be ordered electronically at: 
Nests