By December the species is scarce near Vancouver but is still fairly common on southeastern Vancouver Island between Victoria and Comox. The Greater Yellowlegs breeds on the plateaus of central British Columbia including the Chilcotin-Cariboo and Nechako Lowland regions. The Greater Yellowlegs breeds in swampy forested lands between 900 and 1,220 m elevation. Preferred habitats include open or sparsely treed, mixed forests with low and sparse undergrowth near sloughs, wet meadows, or bogs. Burned ridges and clearings within forests are also used.
Nests are extremely difficult to find.
Five nests found were scrapes or depressions in the ground sparsely lined with bits of vegetation. Two nests were situated in open lodgepole pine stands near meadows, one nest was in a wet meadow, one in a dry, burned willow area, and one was near a pond. Dates for 10 clutches ranged from 17 May to 20 June with 6 recorded between 21 May and 10 June. Dates for 13 broods ranged from 18 June to 23 July with 7 recorded between 27 June and 4 July. Green considered the species a 'fairly common' breeder there.