The Whimbrel is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic North America, Europe and Asia as far south as Scotland.
This is a migratory species wintering on coasts in Africa, South America, south Asia into Australasia and southern North America. It is also a coastal bird during migration.[2] It is fairly gregarious outside the breeding season.
Description
This is a fairly large wader though mid-sized as a member of the curlew genus. It is 37–47 cm (15–19 in) in length, 75–90 cm (30–35 in) and 270–493 g (9.5–17.4 oz) in weight.[3] It is mainly greyish brown, with a white back and rump (subspecies N. p. phaeopus and N. p. alboaxillaris only), and a long curved bill (longest in the adult female) with a kink rather than a smooth curve. It is generally wary. The usual call is a rippling whistle, prolonged into a trill for the song.
The only similar common species over most of this bird's range are larger curlews. The Whimbrel is smaller, has a shorter, decurved bill and has a central crown stripe and strong supercilia.
Subspecies
There are four subspecies:
Numenius phaeopus phaeopus - northern Europe, northwestern Asia
Numenius phaeopus variegatus - northeastern Asia
Numenius phaeopus alboaxillaris - central Asia (rare, endangered)
Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus (Hudsonian Curlew) - northern North America
