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Whimbrel or Curlew? (1 Viewer)

Lucky Birder

Notts Birder
I have just received these photos from a friend. The pale super is wrong and the bill looks too short but I'm erring towards juvenile Curlew. Not certain though - would like to have seen it. Any offers?
 

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I think you're right. Bill doesn't appear long enough for curlew and second pic shows clear head markings which are not normally showing on Curlew.

I await others thoughts though.

D
 
Mmm - let's wait for the experts. I was arguing with myself this morning about one at Murton. Came down with Curlew for that though :-C . Still going with the bill length and head markings at the moment. Youngsters around may be different.

I'll watch this thread with interest to see what others think.

D
 
Not sure. Bill looks too short for a curlew, but doesn't quite look right for a whimbrel either. Having said that the head does show dark sides to the crown, dark eyestripe and strong supercilium, which does reinforce the case for it being a whimbrel. Never seen one as streaked as that on the back and sides though!

Paul
 
It´s a Curlew, and it looks like an adult. A whimbrel, ad or juv, would never look this "striped" on upperparts and on coverts, and above all wouldn´t have a bill like a curlew.
JanJ
 
Lucky Birder said:
I still think the bill is a little odd.

Juvenile Curlews at this time of year often have rather short and still-growing bills, which would explain the odd look of this one. Bill length is a good way to separate adult and juvenile Curlews at this time, and short-billed birds like this are actually pretty common. Ageing the bird from your photo isn't straightforward but the delicate streaking on the neck side and warm buffish tone to the breast are both juvenile features.

Rgds

Greg
 
Great post lucky birder demonstrating curlews can have strong supercilliums and short bills. Glad jan finally confirmed it was a curlew I was getting worried. Also like to add bill is much less decurved than whimbrel or adult curlew typical of a developing curlew. Also look at size compared to woodpigeon too big for a whimbrel. I would say its gone through its first moult fully and its an immature
 
Yes, I found it instructive and I always favoured Curlew but was really thrown by the supercillium. I possibly haven't been aware of too many juvenile or as you correctly say 'immature' Curlew before and the bill does look short. I agree that the curvature doesn't match Whimbrel.

- A
 
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