Tell-tale, or Greater Yellow-Shanks, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 148.
Totanus vociferus, Tell-tale, Richards. and Swains. Faun. Bor. Amer. vol. ii. p. 389.
Adult male. Plate CCCVIII. Fig 1.
Bill much longer than the head, very slender, subcylindrical, straight, flexible, compressed at the base, the point rather depressed and obtuse. Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, the ridge convex, broader at the base beyond the nostrils blended with the sides, which are convex, the edges thick, with a groove running their whole length, the tip slightly deflected. Lower mandible with the angle very long and narrow, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex, with a slight groove in their basal half, the sides convex, the edges grooved longitudinally, the tip narrow. Nasal groove long and narrow, extending to nearly half the length of the bill; nostrils basal, linear, direct, pervious.
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed, eyes large. Neck rather long and slender. Body slender. Feet very long and slender; tibia bare for half its length, scutellate before and behind, tarsus compressed, also scutellate before and behind; hind toe very small and elevated; fore toes of moderate length, very slender, connected at the base by webs, of which the outer is larger; second or inner toe considerably shorter than fourth, which is in a similar degree exceeded by the third; all covered with numerous scutella above, flattened beneath, and marginate. Claws small, slightly arched, much compressed, rather obtuse, that of the middle toe much larger, with the inner edge dilated.
Plumage soft and blended, on the fore part of the head very short. Wings long, narrow, pointed; primaries narrow and tapering, first longest, second a little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries short, broad, incurved, obliquely rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, doubly emarginate in a slight degree, of twelve rounded feathers.
Bill black, tinged with bluish-grey at the base. Iris dark brown. Feet bright yellow, claws brownish-black. Upper part of the head, lores, cheeks, and the neck all round, excepting the throat, streaked with brownish-black, on a white ground, tinged with grey on the head and hind neck; the throat, breast, and abdomen, are pure white, the sides and lower tail-coverts barred with brownish-black, as are the axillar feathers and lower wing-coverts, the lower surface of the primaries light grey, their shafts white. The upper parts generally are black, glossed with green, each feather margined with white triangular spots. The hind part of the rump and the upper tail-coverts white, barred with dusky. The anterior smaller wing-coverts, alula, primary coverts, and primary quills, brownish-black, without spots; shaft of first primary white, of the rest brown. Tail-feathers white, with numerous bands of dark greyish-brown, the middle six feathers more or less of a light brownish-grey toward the end, the bars not extending over their central part, their tips white. Length to end of tail 14 inches, to end of wings 14, to end of claws 16; extent of wings 24 3/4; bill along the ridge 2 3/12, along the edge of the lower mandible 2 5/12, wing from flexure 8 2/12; tail 3 8/12; bare part of tibia 1 1/2; tarsus 2 5/12; hind toe and claw 4 1/2/12; middle toe and claw 1 8 1/2/12. Weight 6 oz.
Adult Female. Plate CCCVIII. Fig. 2.
The female resembles the male.