Page 196 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WADERS
Order Charadriiformes Family Scolopacidae Species Numenius phaeopus
Whimbrel two dark bands
along crown
with narrow bent
central line bill
barred
tail

deep-chested
shape
long white
“V” on back
streaked, Curlew-like dark
pattern on body breast
plain, dark
upperwings
IN FLIGHT
white
belly

FLIGHT: fast, strong, quicker than Curlew;
wingbeats quite quick and deep.
uperficially like the closely related
SCurlew, which is a more familiar bird
all year round in Europe, the Whimbrel is a
more northerly breeder and only a spring and quite short
autumn migrant elsewhere.This large wader would greyish
often be overlooked were it not for its call, although legs
in fact its compact, dark, chunky form is really quite
distinct from the lankier, paler Curlew. It is rather
more squat and a little larger than the straight-billed
godwits.As with most “streaky brown birds”, a close
view reveals an exquisite pattern of fine streaks, bars,
and spots. In Europe, it is very much a ground or
waterside bird, but in winter in Africa it often perches
up on trees or even overhead cables.
VOICE Song loud, rich, rippling trill; in flight, loud,
even, fast pipipipipipipip on one pitch.
NESTING Simple, shallow scrape on ground; 4 eggs;
1 brood; May–July. MIGRANT WADER
FEEDING Takes insects, snails, earthworms, crabs, and For much of the summer, Whimbrels are on dry ground, but migrants
marine worms. may be seen wading at the edges of pools or along the sea shore.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds on open heaths and moors
BAR-TAILED GODWIT CURLEW plainer in far N and NW Europe; on
winter; see p.193 head
see p.192 migration, on many coasts. Flies
over almost any open landscapes,
straight especially moving north in spring,
bill but prefers undisturbed estuaries
bigger longer
paler and bill and rarely lingers inland.
paler
Seen in the UK
J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 40–46cm (16–18in) Wingspan 71–81cm (28–32in) Weight 270–450g (10–16oz)
Social Spring flocks Lifespan 10–15 years Status Secure†
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