The redshank is a meadow bird, however is regularly seen on marshes and tidal flats. In the Netherlands, it makes its nest on damp grasslands and alongside ditches. The greatest numbers are seen in August and September. Afterwards, a percentage of the birds migrate south to spend the winter in the Mediterranean area. During this period, redshanks nesting in Iceland come to the Netherlands to spend the winter, so that one sees redshanks here throughout the year.