Sandpipers · Shorebirds
Eurasian Whimbrel
Copied!
Numenius phaeopus
Copied!
Voice
Call
Noé Ferrari
Call
Noé Ferrari
Call
Noé Ferrari
How to recognize it
-
40–46 cm, noticeably smaller than a curlew
-
Long downcurved bill with a slight kink
-
Dark crown stripe with pale supercilium
-
Grey-brown body; white rump and back show in flight
About the species
The Eurasian Whimbrel moves with a low, steady walk, usually at the edge of water or across open marshy ground. Its long, downcurved bill gives it a very specific look, and the call is a rippling whistle that can run into a trill.
It probes soft mud for small invertebrates and picks up crabs and similar prey from the surface. Before migration, it also takes berries, and on the coast it feeds on marine animals such as shrimp and molluscs. During breeding, one parent may stay still on the nest until danger comes close, then lead the threat away with short flights and noisy distractions.
It breeds in northern wetlands, bogs, tundra, and wet grassland, always near water. Outside the breeding season it moves to coasts and winters from Africa and South Asia to Australasia, with some populations ranging farther south. Outside the nesting period it is often gregarious.
Where to find
-
Along muddy pond and canal edges — especially where the bank shelves into soft silt, the Eurasian Whimbrel walks slowly and probes for food in the mud.
-
At reed-fringed lake margins and quiet wet corners of riverside paths — look for short bursts of running, then a quick downward jab of the bill into wet ground.
-
On soggy vacant lots and damp lawns near water after rain — it may feed singly or in small groups, picking worms and insects from the ground.
-
On flat open waterfronts — listen for its rippling trill from the ground or a low perch before it moves back to the mud.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Numenius phaeopus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Eurasian whimbrel Encyclopedia article