Common Greenshank Welfare and Highland Bog Breeding

The common greenshank is an elegant wader of remote Highland bogs and flow country, with a piercing tew-tew-tew call that epitomises the wildness of the Scottish Highlands, yet its welfare depends on these pristine habitats remaining intact.

Key Facts

Around 1,500 pairs of greenshank breed in Scotland, concentrated in the Flow Country and Highland glens
The breeding habitat of remote, undisturbed blanket bog with pools is among the most pristine in Britain
Greenshanks feed by running rapidly through shallow water, sweeping their bill to catch fish and invertebrates
They are nervous and difficult to approach, alerting other wildlife to potential danger
Winter birds from Scandinavia and Russia join British breeding birds on estuaries and coastal lagoons

Welfare Considerations

Greenshank welfare on Scottish breeding grounds requires large areas of intact blanket bog free from disturbance and development. Afforestation of Flow Country peatland eliminated breeding habitat at many traditional sites. Human disturbance at remote nesting areas from walkers and photographers causes nest desertion in this sensitive species. Climate change altering bog hydrology through drought and changing rainfall patterns may reduce breeding habitat quality in ways that are difficult to predict.

What You Can Do

Support RSPB and SNH Flow Country protection and peatland restoration programs
Respect greenshank breeding areas in remote Highland glens by maintaining large distances from nesting birds
Contribute greenshank records to BTO surveys noting breeding habitat type
Advocate for peatland protection from afforestation as a priority conservation measure
Back Flow Country UNESCO World Heritage Site designation to provide international recognition and protection