The Nordmann's greenshank is a medium-sized sandpiper, at 29–32 cm (11–13 in) long, with a slightly upturned, bicoloured bill, and relatively short yellow legs.

Breeding adults are boldly marked, with whitish spots and spangling on black upperside; heavily streaked head and upper neck; broad, blackish, crescentic spots on lower neck and breast; and darker lores.

The Nordmann's greenshank breeds in eastern Russia along the south-western and northern coasts of the Sea of Okhotsk and on Sakhalin Island.

Its non-breeding range is not fully understood, but significant numbers have been recorded in South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan on passage, and in Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Peninsular Malaysia in winter.

It appears closest overall to the semipalmata-flavipes and the stagnatilis-totanus-glareola groups, though it also has some similarities to the greater yellowlegs and common greenshank.