Whimbrel or Curlew ID Scotland. (1 Viewer)

[Baldoon57]

I was thinking this bird might be a whimbrel as when it was calling it sounded different from a Curlew, any help appreciated.

 

[wheatearlp]

I was thinking this bird might be a whimbrel as when it was calling it sounded different from a Curlew, any help appreciated.

It's a Curlew. They do make odd noises on occasion.

 

[stevethehydra]

Looks like a Whimbrel's bill to me - shorter than I'd expect for curlew and pretty straight for much of its length until it "bends" towards the end, rather than evenly curved for the whole length... not so much on face pattern though!? Can a Curlew's bill look like this?

 

[Andy Hurley]

The head has a slightly, but not especially darker stripe with a wee bit of white? above, which could be the lighter central crown stripe. This is more Whimrel, but does occur in some Curlew. It could be artefact. Fa kens? The underside looks whitish only behind the legs, which suggests Curlew to me. The eye stripe is not that distinct which suggests Curlew too. Do you have a flight shot? The protruding feet past the tail would indicate Curlew and for me is the easiest way of distinguishing one from the other.

 

[Rotherbirder]

Would be useful to know where and when the shot was taken too!?

RB

 

[Richard D]

Bill looks fine for Curlew to me - looks fairly evenly curved and fading from black to pink at the head. Colour tone is always difficult to assess from a photograph, but if the photo is accurate the warmer tone suggests Curlew. Head stripes are present, but not that strong - neither clearly one or the other. Location and time makes a difference, in general Whimbrel is a summer visitor relatively uncommon in winter, but there is breeding population around the Northern Isles.

 

[dantheman]

Location is Scotland, from the present tense way the OP is written you could assume it is recent ...

Whimbrel is an uncommon wintering bird in the UK (and Ireland) - predominantly in the south/south west on rocky shores. Not sure how infrequently they can occur as far north as Scotland...

Agree with Curlew, mind. Also on jizz (Whimbrel dainter, also generally darker), bulkier body and legs. (Don't the head stripes on this bird indicate an immature bird?? and perhaps a male on bill length??)

 

[Richard D]

Location is Scotland, from the present tense way the OP is written you could assume it is recent ...

Whimbrel is an uncommon wintering bird in the UK (and Ireland) - predominantly in the south/south west on rocky shores. Not sure how infrequently they can occur as far north as Scotland...

Agree with Curlew, mind. Also on jizz (Whimbrel dainter, also generally darker), bulkier body and legs. (Don't the head stripes on this bird indicate an immature bird?? and perhaps a male on bill length??)

If it's the very northern tip of Scotland, Whimbrel are resident in small numbers (a few hundred pairs), but yes for the rest of Scotland it's an unlikely (although not impossible) winter visitor.

Bill length does suggest male to me. I'm not sure on whether head stripes always indicate juvenile or not.

 

[dantheman]

If it's the very northern tip of Scotland, Whimbrel are resident in small numbers (a few hundred pairs), but yes for the rest of Scotland it's an unlikely (although not impossible) winter visitor.

Bill length does suggest male to me. I'm not sure on whether head stripes always indicate juvenile or not.

(I think you may find that 'resident' in terms of Scottish birds means summer resident (as opposed to eg passage migrant, as in much of the rest of the UK), not year-round resident)

?? ;-)

Whimbrel (other than a few birds not travelling as far, as mentioned), is essentially a sub-saharan migrant.

 

[Richard D]

(I think you may find that 'resident' in terms of Scottish birds means summer resident (as opposed to eg passage migrant, as in much of the rest of the UK), not year-round resident)

?? ;-)

Whimbrel (other than a few birds not travelling as far, as mentioned), is essentially a sub-saharan migrant.

I thought there were small number of the resident population that had started to overwinter? I maybe wrong, they're rare overwinterers down south.

Anyway - I'm still reasonably confident the photo is of a Curlew

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Whimbrel are not resident anywhere in Scotland, though they do breed in the summer in the far north in smallish numbers.

This looks like a Curlew, for reasons others have mentioned.

 

[Rotherbirder]

Whimbrel is an uncommon wintering bird in the UK (and Ireland) - predominantly in the south/south west on rocky shores. Not sure how infrequently they can occur as far north as Scotland...

That was the drift of my post. It is far less likely to be Whimbrel if it was taken recently. Curlew for me in any case.

RB

 

[Baldoon57]

Just thought I would say that Whimbrel do sometimes overwinter in this part of Scotland, it's in the southwest near Garlieston, also the light was very poor so had to brighten up the picture a bit, I also took a short video which I've tried to upload but say's it's to big for the server, IL try again to upload it tomorrow.

 

[Butty]

IL try again to upload it tomorrow

...and then tell us the date too?

 

[Baldoon57]

This is the best I could do using vlc player, the more I look at it the more I think it's a curlew

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

This is the best I could do using vlc player, the more I look at it the more I think it's a curlew

You can see the crown pretty clearly in this and it's uniform in colour, without the pale median stripe you'd expect on a Whimbrel.

 

[Butty]

It conveniently turns to show the crown pattern. Curlew. Whatever the date was... ☹️

 

[Baldoon57]

...and then tell us the date too?

Date was 26/02/2023

 

[Baldoon57]

Thanks for all the reply's