Long-billed Curlew

Numenius americanus

Photo by stejon
Location: Florida, USA

Identification

Distinctive in size, bill length, and color. Plumage similar to Marbled Godwit. 19 inches. Brown rump and barred tail. Cinnamon wing linings. White eyering, dusky eyeline. Sexes similar. Very long, decurved bill. Pale buff head and neck faintly streaked with darker brown. Buff brown underparts with sparse dark streaking on flanks. Dark back with pale edges and notches to feathers. Dark brown outer wing contrasts with paler inner wing in flight. Juvenile: Much shorter bill, often with less downward curve.

Distribution

Western Canada and the United States, from British Columbia east to Alberta south to northeastern California, Nevada and northern Utah; western Wyoming, most of Montana, western Dakotas, and eastern Colorado and New Mexico; northern Texas.

Taxonomy

Subspecies¹

• N. a. parvus - breeds SW Canada to California; winters to Mexico
• N. a. americanus - breeds W US; winters to Central America

Habitat

Grasslands and open prairie

Behaviour

• Nests are located on the ground in open prairie. The female usually lays 4 eggs. Both parents look after the young.
• Diet includes insects, but also eat crustaceans in coastal areas.

References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

External Links

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