Totanus calidris Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1896), 24, 414
(part); Hand-List (1899), 1, 160 (part); Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs
(1902), 2, 43 (part).
Totanus totanus eurhinus Oberholser, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. (1900),
22, 207.
Totanus eurhinus McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 25.
Bantayan (McGregor); Basilan (McGregor); Bohol (Everett, McGregor);
Cebu (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Cuyo (McGregor); Mindanao
(Mearns); Mindoro (Porter); Negros (Steere Exp., Bourns &
Worcester); Palawan (Platen, Whitehead); Siquijor (Steere Exp.,
Bourns & Worcester). Central and eastern Asia, south in winter
to Malay Archipelago.
"Male.--Above rufescent broccoli-brown, the feathers everywhere with
dark brown centers, the back more or less irregularly barred with the
same; rump pure white, sparingly marked with brownish; tail and upper
tail-coverts dull white, heavily barred with sepia-brown, the terminal
portion of central tail-feathers buffy; wings fuscous, the innermost
secondaries like the back and barred on exposed portions with dark
brown; remainder of secondaries white, but pale brown on concealed
bases; greater coverts white or grayish distally, brownish gray
basally, and barred with sepia; median coverts brownish gray, barred
with sepia; lesser coverts almost plain; lower surface white, more
or less heavily marked throughout with sepia, these markings taking
on throat and breast the form of broad streaks, on flanks, sides,
and crissum of bars, and elsewhere of more or less irregular spots;
lining of wing white, varied with brownish, except on axillars. 'Length
of male, 292; of female, 298; bill black, orange-brown at base beneath;
iris dark brown; feet orange-red; claws black.' (Abbott.)
"The form of Totanus totanus inhabiting Central and Eastern Asia,
although seemingly identical with the European bird in color and
markings, is yet so much larger, particularly in length of wing,
tail, and culmen, that its separation as a subspecies appears to be
warranted." (Oberholser.)
Taking the measurements of three males and two females from
Central Asia as recorded by Oberholser gives the following average
measurements: Wing, 163; tail, 66.8; exposed culmen, 46.6; tarsus,
47.2; middle toe, 30.2.
A male from Cuyo measures: Wing, 159; tail, 61; exposed culmen, 46;
tarsus, 49; middle toe with claw, 34. A female from Cuyo, wing, 151;
tail, 59; exposed culmen, 43; tarsus, 47; middle toe with claw, 35.
I refer Philippine specimens of the redshank to the Asiatic subspecies
as being the one more likely to occur here if two races of Totanus
totanus be recognized.
Genus HELODROMAS Kaup, 1829.
Bill straight, equal to tarsus, greater than middle toe with claw;
rump and tail-coverts white.