Best yellow legs

Named for its long yellow legs, this native American bird is striking with its speckled white-on-dark back, white underparts and its skinny bright yellow legs. Its name is greater yellowlegs.

A greater yellowlegs sports a slender black beak that has a slight upturn at the end and is longer than its head. A close relative, lesser yellowlegs, has a shorter beak and a stockier build and is noticeably smaller. An adult greater yellowlegs stands about 14 inches tall and is also about 14 inches long.

I found this bird and its identical-looking mate the morning of April 4 running along a muddy shoreline. They appeared to be chasing after small minnows to eat. When I spooked them they let out a series of three quick, sharp calls as they flew away, only to land again at water's edge a short distance away and resume wading.

In Southeast Missouri you may be lucky enough to see a greater yellowlegs in autumn or spring as it migrates from its summer breeding grounds in central regions of Canada and southern Alaska to its winter home throughout the continent of South America.

Through the Woods is a weekly nature column by Aaron Horrell. Find this column at semissourian.com to order a reprint of the photo. Find more of Horrell's work at the Painted Wren Gallery in downtown Cape Girardeau.