The Spotted Redshank is a slim wader with a long bill. Adults are black with white spots in summer and grey above with white underparts in winter.
Adult summer plumage is almost black, with white spots on the wings. In autumn and winter the back is grey and the underparts are white.
It often passes through Britain in spring and autumn, walking through estuaries and marshes to find food with its long bill. Many winter in equatorial Africa, while some remain in western Europe.
It usually lays four eggs on its breeding grounds. Incubation is mainly by the male, with occasional female participation. Chicks are downy.
It often forages in deep water and may swim while immersing its head and neck. Where numerous, birds gather in large flocks.
The red bill base is largely confined to the lower mandible. Breeding birds have dark legs, turning red in winter. Juveniles have pale-edged brown upperparts and extensive brown markings below.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.