A supremely elegant, long-legged wader with a faintly upswept bill; in flight, dark wings contrast with a white V on its back.

Unlike the Redshank this is a breeding bird of wild moors and boggy clearings in northern forests. On migration it appears beside freshwater almost anywhere, staying for a few days in autumn in favoured spots with soft mud and shallow lagoons. Most are rather wild and unapproachable.