Curlew at Sungai Janggut Mudflats/ Malaysia 29th of February (1 Viewer)

[bubo_bubo]

This Curlew was feeding with other curlews and whimbrels at Sungai Janggut Mudflats. First I thought of a Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis). Scanning the images I'm not so sure anymore. Maybe a normal Curlew?

Thanks for ID to the experts. Cheers

Johannes

 

[Bewick]

I would personally agree, seems to pale for a far eastern curlew and the underside is white instead of the buff you would expect on a FEC. Bill is also shorter.

 

[Butty]

Curlew's bills get longer as you go east. This is one such.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Curlew's bills get longer as you go east. This is one such.

From what I remember, rump is the only, reliable way to tell

 

[Dimitris]

Not quite.

FEC are more robust birds with thicker bills, they are also more streaked on the flanks and undertail coverts and have overall a warmer brown tone compared to the colder tone of orientalis EC.

Also in flight FEC have heavily marked underwings comapred to the nearly pure white of the EC.

 

[bubo_bubo]

thanks a lot for the concise comments