At all times the legs are of a greenish shade and the bill is olive or silver based. They are persistent callers and their loud 'tu-tu-tu' cry frequently draws attention to their presence long before they are seen. Above all, however, greenshank are elegant birds that seem most at home among a northern wilderness such as Inverpolly. Although it is easily approached, this is a difficult region to explore. No roads penetrate the area, and tracks and footpaths are few. Well-prepared walkers armed with protective clothing, maps and emergency rations may attempt a crossing, but other visitors settle for a peripheral exploration. Fortunately this is often enough to locate greenshank. Usually the nest is located on some open moorland or in scattered forest some distance from water, often near a sun-bleached tree stump or other landmark. It consists of a simple hollow and holds four beautifully camouflaged eggs.

Both sexes share the 23 to 26 days of incubation, with the male taking the night shift and the female the day. Both leave the eggs to feed and it is then, as they flight to a nearby favoured pool, that the visitor has the best chance of an encounter. On dark wings, with a deep white 'V' extending upwards from the rump, the bird flies down, often to join its off-duty mate with a familiar 'tu-tu-tu'. An intruder is greeted by an elaborate display of aggression, so usually beats a speedy retreat. After feeding, the on-duty bird flies off to the nest, which is usually at some distance. Greenshank nests are notoriously difficult to locate although unfortunately some birds are robbed of their eggs every year. However, about two-thirds of females will lay again. Outside the breeding season, greenshank are seen regularly at coastal marshes, estuaries and shorelines as they move northward and southward between their breeding and winter quarters. Nevertheless, for many birdwatchers they remain an integral part of the northern wastes, a sight and sound that is as important a part of Coigach as the landscape itself.