Common greenshanks are brown in breeding plumage, and grey-brown in winter. When in water, they can appear very similar to
marsh sandpipers but are distinguished by the shape of the lower bill which gives it an upturned appearance to the bill. They have long greenish legs and a long bill with a grey base. They show a white wedge on the back in flight. They are somewhat larger than the related
common redshank. The usual call is a rapid series of three short fluty notes syllabilized as
teu-teu-teu. Like most waders, they feed on small
invertebrates, but will also take small fish and amphibians. The common greenshank is one of the species to which the
Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. In 2024,
T. nebularia was listed as Endangered under the Australian EPBC Act.{{Cite web |date=5 January 2024 |title=Tringa nebularia — Common Greenshank, Greenshank ==Gallery==