Conservation and Management

Shooting And Trapping

Before introduction of Migratory Bird Treaty Act, hunted regularly and in considerable numbers, some gunners taking hundreds of birds in a season (Bent 1927). At the time of the act, population was viewed as decreasing (Forbush 1925–1929, Bent 1927, Stone 1937). Today, hunting in North America is likely insignificant. Little information from elsewhere in Americas, although 1,050–1,600 Greater Yellowlegs have been estimated to be taken annually in Barbados (Hutt 1991).

Pesticides And Other Contaminants/Toxics

DDE and PCBs detected in 2 studies (White et al. 1980, Fyfe et al. 1990), but below levels thought to affect survival or reproduction. Mean levels of DDE (whole-body analyses): Texas (1976–1977), 2.0 ppm wet weight (n = 2); Peru (1983–1984), 1.09 ppm (n = 21); Ecuador (1983–1984), 1.85 ppm (n = 9). Mean levels of PCBs: Texas, 1.0 ppm (n = 2); Peru, 0.22 ppm (n = 21); Ecuador, 0.07 ppm (n = 9). Levels in Peru birds differed between spring and fall. Low levels of other organochlorine residues detected in birds from South America (Fyfe et al. 1990), but not Texas (White et al. 1980).

White et al. (1980) also sampled concentrations of heavy metals in kidneys and livers of 2 birds from Texas (1976–1977). Only levels of selenium (1.30 and 2.40 ppm wet weight) were viewed as cause for concern.

Degradation Of Habitat

Threats on breeding grounds restricted to local scale (e.g., wetland drainage around Anchorage, AK; TLT). Main threat is progressive loss of wetland habitat throughout nonbreeding range. Lack of dependence on a few major staging or wintering sites, wide geographic range, and propensity to use variety of wetland habitats reduce likelihood of rapid effects on populations. These same factors, however, make monitoring populations, and hence detecting declines, difficult.

Disturbance At Nest And Roost Sites

No information.

Direct Human/Research Impacts

No information.

Conservation Status

Populations thought to be stable (Morrison et al. 1994) and of little conservation concern, but accurate data lacking.

Measures Proposed And Taken

Since 1927, fully protected in U.S. and Canada under Migratory Bird Treaty Act (Senner and Howe 1984). Sparse but widespread distribution makes this species difficult to manage. Morrison and Ross (1989) identified several coastal sites in Suriname; e. Guyana; Lagoa Feia, Brazil; and Rio Camaná and Rio Eten, Peru, as important wintering sites for yellowlegs (they did not differentiate between species) and suggested inclusion in Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. Numbers using flooded agricultural fields in Louisiana and California, indicate that increased winter flooding may benefit this species (Remsen et al. 1991, Elphick and Oring 1998).

Effectiveness Of Measures

Population assumed to have increased since hunting was banned earlier in twentieth century, but little information.