You are here

Archives » Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)

Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)

Related shows:

Bill Shape Equals Food Source

A fine woodworker has a chest full of tools, each designed for a specific task. Birds also have highly refined tools-their bills. The size and shape of a bird's bill match perfectly the food they seek and the way in which they obtain their meals. Different species of shorebirds that forage... read more »

RELATED
Related bird:  Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus), Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

Sandpiper Bills

Many sandpipers have sensitive nerve receptors in their bill tips, so they can find unseen prey through touch, odor, and pressure changes - and so, feed even at night. This Long-billed Curlew (in back) sports a slender, down-curved bill that may reach nine inches long. The Bar-tailed Godwit (in... read more »

RELATED
Related bird:  Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus), Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

Whistle from the Sky

In its flight display, the male Long-billed Curlew flies up with rapidly beating wings and glides down, then up again and down, stitching a series of arcs across the sky and calling all the time. Their loud flight calls warn of the presence of potential predators. Long-billed Curlews are the... read more »

RELATED
Topics & Themes:  breeding display
Related bird:  Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)

Shorebirds - Not on the Shore

Shorebirds' lives take them to many places other than the shore. Most of the shorebirds we see along our coasts migrate to the Arctic in summer. Here, many nest on the tundra, some along rushing streams, and others on rocky mountainsides. Long-billed Curlews winter on the Florida, Gulf, and... read more »

RELATED
Topics & Themes:  migration
Related bird:  Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)

Long-billed Curlew - Singing over the Grassland

The Long-billed Curlew is North America's largest shorebird, seen here in its breeding habitat, a western grassland. They may be the largest, but they're also among the rarest. Their numbers are declining as arid grasslands disappear. Because curlews depend on very different environments for... read more »

RELATED
Topics & Themes:  breeding display, migration
Related bird:  Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)

Probing with Sandpipers

The variety of bill sizes and shapes among the sandpipers is astounding! Many sandpipers have sensitive nerve receptors in their bill tips, so they can find unseen prey through touch, odor, and pressure changes. Those sandpipers with long, straight bills - like this Long-billed Dowitcher - are... read more »

RELATED
Topics & Themes:  migration
Related bird:  Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus), Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus), Surfbird (Aphriza virgata)
Related video: 

Webcams and videos are hosted by third parties. In exchange, you may periodically see 30-second advertisements. BirdNote does not endorse any of the products, services, or causes on third-party pages. All webcams have seasonal changes and may be down for hours, weeks, or months at a time. If this one is not active, please check our video or webcam gallery for more.

Foraging Long-billed Curlew

read more »