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Endemic to the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). The breeding grounds are along the Sea of Okhotsk coast in eastern Russia, with the overwintering range mainly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Between breeding and overwintering grounds, the species stages along the coast of China and the Korean Peninsula.
Breeding Range
Breeding distribution in the Russian Far East is based on observations of typical Tringa brooding behaviors, visual confirmation of adults with broods, or a limited number of confirmed nest locations (18
Nechaev, V. A. (1978). The biology and behavior of Normann’s Greenshanks Tringa guttifer on Sakhalin Island. Russian Ornithological Journal:6073-6086 (in Russian)
, VVP). Its former and current breeding locations include the Tatar Strait, the bays along southwestern and northern Sea of Okhotsk coast, and the northern and southern coasts of Sakhalin Island.
Sakhalin Island. The species’ current status on Sakhalin Island is uncertain due to limited surveys. The bays of northeast Sakhalin Island were once considered their breeding stronghold until oil and gas exploration degraded much of the suitable breeding habitat (18
Nechaev, V. A. (1978). The biology and behavior of Normann’s Greenshanks Tringa guttifer on Sakhalin Island. Russian Ornithological Journal:6073-6086 (in Russian)
, 41
Blokhin, A. Y. (1998). Breeding wader populations on the marine coasts of north-eastern Sakhalin. International Wader Studies 10:221–224
, 42
Tiunov, I. M. (2016). Lagoons of the North-Eastern Shore of Sakhalin Island. In Marine important bird areas of the Russian Far East (Y. Artukhin, Editor), Moscow: BirdsRussia. pp. 101–103
). Notable potential breeding sites include Aniva Bay, Baikal Bay, Chaivo Bay [5 nests (4 active, 1 old) found in 1976], Dagi Bay, Nabilsky Bay, Tyk Bay, Urkt Bay, and Viakhtu Bay; as well as at the mouths of the Lakh River and Tangi River (17
Kuroda, N. (1936). A description of downy young of Pseudototanus guttifer from South Sakhalin. Tori 9:232-239 (in Japanese)
, 18
Nechaev, V. A. (1978). The biology and behavior of Normann’s Greenshanks Tringa guttifer on Sakhalin Island. Russian Ornithological Journal:6073-6086 (in Russian)
, 43
Nechaev, V.A. (1989). The status of Nordmann’s Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) in the USSR. Asian Wetland News 2(2): 11, 14.
, 44
Poryakov, N. D. (1992). Records of the Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer and Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus in the north-west of Sakhalin. Russian Ornithological Journal 21:3200-3201 (in Russian)
, 45
Poryakov, N. D., and G. S. Rozanov (1998). Material on the bird fauna of open landscapes in northern Sakhalin Island. Ornithology 28:108-113 (in Russian)
, 46
Blokhin, A. Y., and A. I. Kokorin (2001). Current status of rare bird species in North-East Sakhalin. Russian Ornithological Journal 22:2896-2898 (in Russian)
, 47
Zdorikov, A. I. (2013). Baikal Bay and Newskoe Lake as potential Ramsar sites on Sakhalin Island. In Avian Migrants in the Northern Pacific: Breeding and Stopover Sites in a Changing Earth. Scientific Conference of the Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics FEB RAS: Abstracts (P. S. Ktitorov, Editor), Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics
). Other possible breeding locations include Lunskiy Bay, Nuiskiy Bay, Odoptu Bay, and Piltun Bay (48
Tiunov, I. M., and A. Y. Blokhin (2010). Odoptu Gulf (Northern Sakhalin) Russia- Important site for migratory waders of the EAA Flyway. Stilt 57:59–62
, 49
Tiunov, I. M., and A. Y. Blokhin (2011). Waterbirds of North Sakhalin. Russian Academy of Science, Far Eastern Branch (in Russian)
). Aniva Bay, Chaivo Bay, and Nabilsky Bay have been especially degraded and may no longer support breeding birds (42
Tiunov, I. M. (2016). Lagoons of the North-Eastern Shore of Sakhalin Island. In Marine important bird areas of the Russian Far East (Y. Artukhin, Editor), Moscow: BirdsRussia. pp. 101–103
). In 2018, there were 4 pairs displaying brooding behaviors in Baikal Bay, and in 2010, there were 4 broods recorded at the mouth of Lakh River (50
Reviakina, Z. V., V. B. Zikov, and A. I. Antonov (2011). Information materials of the Working Group on Waders. Russian Shorebird Working Group 24:1–109
, 51
Reviakina, Z., and V. Zikov (2018). Nordmann’s Greenshank in Baikal Bay in Sakhalin Island. The Second Meeting of Russian Nordmann’s Greenshank Taskforce 2018
).
Khabarovsk Krai. Breeding indicators have been observed along the western Sea of Okhotsk coast in central Khabarovsk Krai, particularly in Konstantin Bay, Nikolay Bay, Schaste Bay [5 nests (2 active, 3 old) found 2019–2020], Tugur Bay, and Ulban Bay. Other notable areas include the Tatar Strait, the Uda Bay, and the mouth of the Uda River near Chumikan (32
Yakhontov, V. D. (1962). Nordmann’s Greenshank on shores of the Okhotsk Sea. Russian Ornithological Journal 5:284-285 (in Russian)
, 52
Voronov, B. A., and V. V. Pronkevich (1991). Regarding several ornithological findings in Khabarovsk Krai. Russian Ornithological Journal:1775-1781
, 53
Pronkevich, V. V., and B. A. Voronov (1992). Nesting abundance of Nordmann’s Greenshanks Tringa guttifer. Russian Ornithological Journal 27:3293-3294 (in Russian)
, 54
Pronkevich, V. V., and B. A. Voronov (2013). Abundance of Nordmann’s Greenshanks Tringa guttifer in Khabarovsk Krai. Russian Ornithological Journal:1731-1735 (in Russian)
, 55
Pronkevich, V. V., and A. Y. Oleinikov (2010). New data on some water birds from the Khabarovskii Krai Province. Amur Zoological Journal 4:363-365 (in Russian)
, 56
Pronkevich, V. V., B. A. Voronov, T. A. Atrokhova, A. L. Antonov, E. V. Adnagulov, and A. Y. Oleinikov (2011). New data on rare and seldom studied birds of Khrabarovsk Krai. Russian Ornithological Journal:486-497 (in Russian)
, 57
Pronkevich, V. V., V. I. Roslyakov, and B. A. Voronov (2011). Results of registration of rare and insufficiently studied birds in Pri-Amurye and southwestern Pri-Okhotye region in 2011. Amur Zoological Journal 3:381-385 (in Russian)
, 58
Pronkevich, V. V. (2012). Wader studies in the Khabarovsk region, the Russian Far East, in 2009-2011. New Studies of Fauna and Abundance of Shorebirds:159-161 (in Russian)
, 59
Pronkevich, V. V. (2013). New records of rare and poorly known birds from southern Priamurye and southwestern Priokhotye in 2012. Amur Zoological Journal 5:89-93 (in Russian)
, 60
Pronkevich, V. V. (2019). New observations of rare birds in Khabarovsk Krai. Herald of the North-east Research Center 2:89-98 (in Russian)
, 61
Makhinov, A. N., M. V. Kryukova, and V. V. Pronkevich (2017). Ulban Gulf. Nature: Physical Geography and Biogeography 8:32-43 (in Russian)
). It is also possible the species inhabits the Shantar Islands archipelago, but the area has not been comprehensively surveyed (VVP).
Magadan Oblast. In 1997, a German-Russian research expedition to southern Magadan Oblast found several breeding pairs, a family group with juveniles, and large flocks of migratory groups within the Malkachan Delta (62
Kondrataev, A. B., and A. Andreev (1997). Likely breeding of Nordmanns Greenshanks in Magadan Oblast. Russian Ornithological Journal 26:3-4 (in Russian)
, 63
Bergmann, H.-H. (1998). Short report on a little known bird: Nordmann’s Greenshank (Tringa guttifer). Der Falke:56-59 (in German)
, 11
Doer, D. (1998). Zur Bestimmung und Verbreitung des Tupfelgrunschenkels Tringa guttifer. Limicola 12:57-71 (in German)
, 64
Doer, D. (2009). Limikolen-Durchzug von Juni bis August 1997 an der Malkachan-Bucht, Russischer Ferner Osten. Osnabrücker Naturwissenschaftliche Mitteilungen 35:99-114 (in German)
, 65
Andreev, A. V., and A. V. Kondrataev (2001). Birds of the Koni-Pyagyn and Malkachan areas. In Biodiversity and ecological status along the Northern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk: A collection of study reports. Russian Academy of Science, Far Eastern Branch, Institute of Northern Biological Problems, Vladivostok, Russia. pp. 87–122
). Sighting of 3 individuals in Olskaya Lagoon, and another 3 in Amakhtonskiy Bay, indicated that the species may be more widely distributed in the area than previously thought (66
Kondrataev, A. Y. (1988). Meeting the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus and Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer on the coast of the Okhotsk Sea. Russian Ornithological Journal 27:3116 (in Russian)
, 67
Dorogoy, I. V. (2013). Encounters with Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) and Nordmann’s Greenshanks (Tringa guttifer) in Southern Magadan Oblast. Russian Ornithological Journal 872:1102-1106. (in Russian)
).
Kamchatka Oblast. The species is rare on the Kamchatka peninsula, with only a handful of recorded observations within the Moroshechnaya, Pkhin, and Stolbovaya River estuaries, and Skobeleva Bay (33
Gerasimov, N. N. (1986). Nordmann’s Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) on Kamchatka. Rare and vanishing birds of the Far-East:144-145 (in Russian)
, 68
Gerasimov, Y. N. (1999). Observation of the spring migration of waders in the Korf Bay. In The Biology and Conservation of the Birds of Kamchatka 1, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow. pp. 73-76 (in Russian)
, 69
Gerasimov, N. N., A. M. Sokolov, and P. S. Tomkovich (1992). Birds of the ornithological Zakaznik “Moroshechnaya River”, Western Kamchatka. Russian Ornithological Journal 1:157-208 (in Russian)
). In late May 1980, a pair of was observed performing brooding behaviors and assumed to be with a clutch; however, due to the lack of suitable breeding habitat on the peninsula this conclusion is questionable (33
Gerasimov, N. N. (1986). Nordmann’s Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) on Kamchatka. Rare and vanishing birds of the Far-East:144-145 (in Russian)
, VVP). The species may be more widely distributed on Kamchatka than is currently known; however, the remote wilderness and lack of infrastructure prevents thorough surveys.
Nonbreeding Range
Staging and Stopover Distribution
Stages in small numbers along the southern Russian Far East, the Korean peninsula, and Japan, but concentrate at stopover areas in China (70
Collar, N. J., A. V. Andreev, S. Chan, M. J. Crosby, S. Subramanya, and J. A. Tobias, Editors (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
, 71
Nechaev, V. A. (2003). New observations of Southern Primorye birds. Russian Ornithological Journal 210:86-89 (in Russian)
, 72
Moores, N. (2006). South Korea’s Shorebirds: A review of abundance, distribution, threats and conservation status. Stilt 50:62–72
). It is likely that the entire global population uses China’s Rudong mudflats during southward migration (73
Zöckler, C., D. Li, S. U. Chowdhury, M. Iqbal, and Y. Chenxing (2018). Winter distribution, habitat and feeding behaviour of Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer. Wader Study 125:1–8
).
Primorskiy Krai, Russia. The species uses Primorskiy Krai (or Primorye) as an intermediate staging area before southward migration starts in earnest. Important sites include the Amur, Peter the Great and Ussuri Bays, Khanka Zapovednik (Nature Reserve), and other coastal areas of northern and southern Primorye (71
Nechaev, V. A. (2003). New observations of Southern Primorye birds. Russian Ornithological Journal 210:86-89 (in Russian)
, 74
Bakewell, D. (2009). Kapar power station waterbird report 2008. MNS-Bird Conservation Council. (MNS-BCC Waterbirds Group Report No. 1), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
, 75
Gluschenko, Y. N., V. A. Nechaev, and Y. A. Red’kin (2016). Nordmann’s Greenshank. In Birds of Primorsky Krai: Brief review of the fauna (E. A. Koblik, Editor), KMK Scientific Press Ltd., Moscow, Russia. p. 159 (in Russian)
).
South Korea. The species was once considered a regular migrant in South Korea with concentrations in Dongjin, Han, and Geum River estuaries, Kanghwa Island, the Saemangeum intertidal area, and Asan, Namyang and Suncheon Bays; however, since the complete reclamation of Saemangeum in 2006 it seems the country no longer supports significant numbers (76
Lethaby, N., N. Moores, and J. Park (2000). Birding in South Korea. Dutch Birding 22:204–219
, 70
Collar, N. J., A. V. Andreev, S. Chan, M. J. Crosby, S. Subramanya, and J. A. Tobias, Editors (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
, 77
Barter, M.A. (2002). Shorebirds of the Yellow Sea: importance, threats and conservation status. Wetlands International Global Series 9, International Wader Studies 12, Canberra, Australia.
, 78
Rogers, D. I., N. Moores, and P. F. Battley (2006). Northwards migration of shorebirds through Saemangeum, the Geum Estuary and Gomso Bay, South Korea in 2006. Stilt 50:62–78
, 79
Moores, N., D. Rogers, C. H. Koh, Y. K. Ju, R. H. Kim, and M. N. Park (2008). The 2006-2008 Saemangeum shorebird monitoring program report. Birds Korea-Australian Wader Studies Group:1–25
). The tidal flats near Hwaseong still supports small groups or singular individuals, but the area is scheduled to be reclaimed (NM).
North Korea. Possibly due to missing information, the species is considered a rare passage migrant in North Korea (70
Collar, N. J., A. V. Andreev, S. Chan, M. J. Crosby, S. Subramanya, and J. A. Tobias, Editors (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
).
Japan. A passage migrant in Japan, singularly distributed throughout many coastal areas (8
Howes, J. R., and F. Lambert (1987). Some notes on the status, field identification and foraging characteristics of Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer. Wader Study Group Bulletin 49: 14–17.
, 70
Collar, N. J., A. V. Andreev, S. Chan, M. J. Crosby, S. Subramanya, and J. A. Tobias, Editors (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
, 80
Brazil, M. (2018). 256: Nordmann’s or Spotted Greenshank. In Birds of Japan (M. Brazil, Author), Christopher Helm, London, United Kingdom. pp. 416
).
Eastern China. Large numbers regularly use coastal intertidal habitats of China as staging and stopover areas during both the rapid northward and the prolonged southward migrations. Throughout the Bohai and Yellow Sea coasts, sites of particularly high concentrations include Dandong Yalu Jiang Estuary Wetland National Nature Reserve, Dong Tai and Rudong coastal mudflats (especially Tiaozini Wetland Park where the entire world population may stop), Xiaoyangkou Wetland, Yancheng National Nature Reserve, and the Mai Po marshes in Hong Kong (70
Collar, N. J., A. V. Andreev, S. Chan, M. J. Crosby, S. Subramanya, and J. A. Tobias, Editors (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
, 23
Riegen, A., G. Vaughan, K. Woodley, B. Postill, Z. Guangming, W. Tao, and S. Dongyu (2006). The fourth full shorebird survey of Yalu Jiang National Nature Reserve. Stilt 50:47
, 81
Bamford, M., D. Watkins, W. Bancroft, G. Tischler, and J. Wahl (2008). Migratory shorebirds of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway: population estimates and internationally important sites. Wetlands International, Canberra, Australia.
, 82
Tong, M., N. Clark, L. Zhang, L. Jing, and C. Zöckler (2014). The autumn Rudong SBS survey 2013. Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force News Bulletin 11:9–10
, 83
Bai et al. (2015). Identification of coastal wetlands of international importance for waterbirds: a review of China Coastal Waterbird Surveys 2005–2013. Avian Research. 6(1): 1–16.[Bai, Q., Chen, J., Chen, Z., Dong, G., Dong, J., Dong, W., Fu, V.W.K., Han, Y., Lu, G., Li, J., Liu, Y., Lin, Z., Meng, D., Martinez, J., Ni, G., Shan, K., Sun, R., Tian, S., Wang, F., Xu, Z., Yu, Y.T., Yang, J., Yang, Z., Zhang, L., Zhang, M. & Zeng, X.].
, 84
Peng, H. B., G. Q. A. Anderson, Q. Chang, C. Y. Choi, S. U. Chowdhury, N. A. Clark, X. Gan, R. D. Hearn, J. Li, E. G. Lappo, W. Liu, Z. Ma, D. S. Melville, J. F. Phillips, E. E. Syroechkovskiy, M. Tong, S. Wang, L. Zhang, and C. Zöckler (2017). The intertidal wetlands of southern Jiangsu Province, China: Globally important for Spoon-billed Sandpipers and other threatened waterbirds, but facing multiple serious threats. Bird Conservation International 27:305–322
, 85
Choi, C.-Y., and W. J. Xue (2020). China Coastal Waterbird Census Report (Jan. 2012-Dec. 2019). Hong Kong Bird Watching Society
, 24
Yang, Z., B. J. Lagassé, H. Xiao, M. V. Jackson, C.-Y. Chiang, D. S. Melville, K. S. K. Leung, J. Li, L. Zhang, H.-B. Peng, X. Gan, W.-L. Liu, Z. Ma, and C.-Y. Choi (2020). The southern Jiangsu coast is a critical moulting site for Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea and Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer. Bird Conservation International 30(4):649-660
, 86
Zhang, L. (2020). Record-breaking numbers of Nordmann’s Greenshank- How can that be? http://www.sbsinchina.com/nd.jsp?id=362#_np=2_604
).
Overwintering Distribution
The most common overwintering areas for the species are in Myanmar (Bay of Martaban), Thailand (Inner Gulf), Malaysia (the entire Thai-Malay Peninsula), western Indonesia, and Bangladesh (Bay of Bengal and Meghna Delta) (74
Bakewell, D. (2009). Kapar power station waterbird report 2008. MNS-Bird Conservation Council. (MNS-BCC Waterbirds Group Report No. 1), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
, 87
Bird, J. P., A. C. Lees, S. U. Chowdhury, R. Martin, R. Halder, and E. Ul Haque (2010). Observations of globally threatened shorebirds in Bangladesh. BirdingASIA 14: 53–58.
, 88
Chowdhury, S. U., M. Foysal, D. K. Das, S. Mohsanin, M. Abdullah Abu Diyan, and A. B. M. Sarowar Alam (2011). Seasonal occurrence and site use by shorebirds at Sonadia Island, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Wader Study Group Bulletin 118:77–81
, 89
Chowdhury, S. U., W. Bud, R. N. Soe, A. Jaerwattanakanok, P.-P. Aung, and S. Hecker (2020). Updates from ICFC supported project in the wintering areas. Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force News Bulletin 22:26–28
, 90
Zöckler, C., T. Z. Naing, S. Moses, Y. N. Soe, and T. H. Hla (2014). The importance of the Myanmar coast for water birds. Stilt 66:37–51
, 73
Zöckler, C., D. Li, S. U. Chowdhury, M. Iqbal, and Y. Chenxing (2018). Winter distribution, habitat and feeding behaviour of Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer. Wader Study 125:1–8
, 91
Bakewell, D., A. Wong, D. Kong, and R. Au (2017). Waterbird surveys of the Sarawak Coast (2010-2012) [A Report by the Malaysian Nature Society-Bird Conservation Council (MNS-BCC) Waterbirds Group in partnership with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation] (MNS Conservation Publication No. 13). Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur
, 92
Yu, C., D. Ngoprasert, P. D. Round, A. J. Pierce, T. Savini, and G. A. Gale (2019). Roost selection of the endangered Spotted Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) in critical habitat in the Inner Gulf of Thailand. Avian Research 10:10
). Small numbers are also found throughout southern Cambodia, eastern India, Singapore, the Philippines, and coastal Vietnam (70
Collar, N. J., A. V. Andreev, S. Chan, M. J. Crosby, S. Subramanya, and J. A. Tobias, Editors (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
, 93
Li, D. Z. W., Y. C. Aik, L. K. Chye, K. Kumar, L. A. Tiah, Y. Chong, and C. W. Mun (2005). A report on survey of the status of Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer and Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes in Malaysia. Wetlands International. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
, 94
Round, P. D. (2006). Shorebirds in the Inner Gulf of Thailand. Stilt 50:96–102.
, 95
Li, D. Z. W., and R. Ounsted (2007). The status of coastal waterbirds and wetlands in southeast Asia: Results of waterbird surveys in Malaysia (2004–2006) and Thailand and Myanmar (2006). Wetlands International, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
, 2
Tirtaningtyas, F.N. and Philippa, J. (2009). Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer on Cemara beach, Jambi, Indonesia. BirdingASIA. 12: 97–99.
, 96
Abdillah, H., and M. Iqbal (2012). First record of Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Wader Study Group Bulletin 119:140–141
, 97
Putra, C. S., D. Hikmatullah, D. M. Prawiradilaga, and J. B. C. Harris (2015). Surveys at Bagan Percut, Sumatra, reveal its international importance to migratory shorebirds and breeding herons. Kukila 18(2): 46–59.
, 73
Zöckler, C., D. Li, S. U. Chowdhury, M. Iqbal, and Y. Chenxing (2018). Winter distribution, habitat and feeding behaviour of Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer. Wader Study 125:1–8
). Sightings from Assam, India, indicated that some individuals inhabit inshore wetlands (98
Barua, M. and Sharma, P. (1999). Birds of Kaziranga National Park, India. Forktail. 15: 47–60.
).
Summer Nonbreeders
Only one individual has been recorded oversummering in a traditional overwintering area; this bird was seen in Sonadia Island, Bangladesh in June 2011 (99
Chowdhury, S. U., and M. Foysal (2017). A five-year study of over-summering shorebirds on Sonadia Island, Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh. Forktail:120–123
).
Extralimital Records
There are single records near Roebuck Bay, Broome and along Eighty Mile Beach in northwestern Australia (100
Li, Z. W. D., A. Bloem, S. Delany, G. Martakis, and J. O. Quintero (2009). Status of waterbirds in Asia. Results of the Asian Waterbird Census: 1987–2007. Wetlands International, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
, 101
Boyle, A., and M. Slaymaker (2010). Nordmann’s Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) using kleptoparasitism as a feeding technique. Stilt 58:34–35
). In late 2020 and early 2021 a single individual was also recorded on the mudflats of the Cairns Esplanade in northeastern Australia (see eBird). There is a record of a single individual in northern Sri Lanka during winter 1991 (102
de Silva, R. I. (1992). First record of Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer from Sri Lanka. Loris 19(6): 195–196.
). An unconfirmed vagrant individual was reported in the Mariana Islands (Guam) in 1983 (103
Williams, J. M. (1987). Revised status of the Nordmann’s Greenshank on Guam. ’Elepaio 47:74
, 104
Stinson, D. W., G. J. Wiles, and J. D. Reichel (1997). Occurrence of migrant shorebirds in the Mariana Islands. Journal of Field Ornithology 68:42–55.
), and another possible (but highly unlikely) sighting of an individual in Nepal (105
Del-Nevo, A. J. (1982). Possible Nordmann’s Greenshank in Nepal. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 81:472
). The species has also been recorded on Bering Island, west of Kamchatka (106
Kobayashi, K. (1955). On some rare waders (Limicolae) recorded from Osaka Bay coast. Japanese Journal of Ornithology 13(65):28-36 (in Japanese)
). There is an especially questionable breeding record in the 1910s at Lake Rhamtso, Tibet, where 11 eggs, presumed to belong to the species, and a half-decayed adult were found (107
Kuroda, N. (1936). On a new breeding ground for Pseudototanus guttifer. Tori 9(43): 232–238.
), however, it is most likely that the eggs and adult were misidentified (10
Kennerley, P. R., and D. N. Bakewell (1987). Nordmann’s Greenshank in Hong Kong: a review of the identification and status. Hong Kong Bird Report 1986: 83–100.
).
Historical Changes to the Distribution
Unfortunately, due to the rarity of the species, few baseline or accepted historical records exist.
Russia. Due to the remote Russian wilderness,surveys are infrequent and geographically limited, mostly concentrating on accessible areas; thus, changes in distribution are difficult to assess.It is thought the species’ breeding range has contracted within the past century with it possibly no longer breeding in Aniva, Chaivo, or Nabilsky Bays in northeastern Sakhalin Island. This likely extirpation may be due to habitat loss caused by development of fossil-fuel extraction infrastructure and human settlements (108
Knystautas, A. (1993). Birds of Russia. HarperCollins, London, United Kingdom.
, 70
Collar, N. J., A. V. Andreev, S. Chan, M. J. Crosby, S. Subramanya, and J. A. Tobias, Editors (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
, 109
Pronkevich, V. V. (2017). Investigation of the world population of the endangered species- Nordmann’s Greenshank (Tringa guttifer, Nordmann, 1835) and the search for ways to preserve it. Russian Academy of Science, Far Eastern Branch
). Chaivo Bay needs to be thoroughly surveyed to clarify the current status of the species in the region. In Nevelskovo Bay, no birds have been recorded in the area since the construction of a Gazprom pipeline in 2008 (VM). The species has not been recorded in Tugur or Ussuri Bays, the Malkachan River Delta, or the Moroshechnaya River Delta since the 1990s, but this is possibly due to a lack of surveys.
South Korea. The species was once abundant on the Korean mudflats; however, since the Saemangeum estuary was reclaimed in 2006 the country no longer supports the species in significant numbers (79
Moores, N., D. Rogers, C. H. Koh, Y. K. Ju, R. H. Kim, and M. N. Park (2008). The 2006-2008 Saemangeum shorebird monitoring program report. Birds Korea-Australian Wader Studies Group:1–25
, 110
Moores, N., D. I. Rogers, K. Rogers, and P. M. Hansbro (2016). Reclamation of tidal flats and shorebird declines in Saemangeum and elsewhere in the Republic of Korea. Emu 116:136–146
). This decline in Saemangeum corresponded with a minor and short-lived increase in abundance increase within the nearby Geum estuary, but not enough to compensate for the losses in Saemangeum (111
Lee, J. K., O. S. Chung, J. Y. Park, H. J. Kim, W. H. Hur, S. H. Kim, and J. H. Kim (2018). Effects of the Saemangeum Reclamation Project on migratory shorebird staging in the Saemangeum and Geum Estuaries, South Korea. Bird Conservation International 28:238–250
). Other areas in South Korea, including Asan, Namyang, and Suncheon Bays once supported significant numbers, but none have been observed in recent years.
Southeast Asia. Assessing changes in distribution in southeast Asia is difficult due to many factors including lacking infrastructure and remote areas. Recent surveys in Thailand failed to record the species at four historically active sites (Kalong, Ban Don, Pak Phanang, and Pattani Bay) despite suitable remaining habitat (112
Yu, C., D. Ngoprasert, T. Savini, P. D. Round, and G. A. Gale (2020). Distribution modelling of the endangered Spotted Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) in a key area within its winter range. Global Ecology and Conservation 22:10
). Other countries in the region, such as Bangladesh, have also experienced drastic declines due to natural resource exploitation and development, with extirpation in the near future possible (113
Thompson, P. M., W. G. Harvey, D. L. Johnson, D. J. Millin, S. M. A. Rashid, D. A. Scott, C. Stanfield, and J. D. Woolner (1993). Recent notable bird records from Bangladesh. Forktail 9: 13–44.
, 114
Thompson, P. M., S. U. Chowdhury, E. Ul Haque, M. M. H. Khan, and R. Halder (2014). Notable bird records from Bangladesh from July 2002 to July 2013. Forktail 30: 50–65.
).
Maleko, P. N., V. V. Pronkevich, and K. S. Maslovsky (2021). Nordmann's Greenshank (Tringa guttifer), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, P. G. Rodewald, and B. K. Keeney, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.norgre1.02