Numenius phaeopus
Whimbrel
©Mike Baird: Whimbrel
©Charlie Shuetrim: Two Whimbrels on the shore at Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Scolopacidae
Genus
Numenius
Species
Numenius phaeopus
Colours
Distinguishing features
The Whimbrel has a long, downcurved black bill that is pink at its lower base. The bird is brown above and paler brown below. There is a darker stripe from the base of the bill through the eye. At Lizard Island, Whimbrels have a white patch on the lower back that is clearly visible in flight, although Simpson et al (2004) state that this character is variable across its wider distribution.
Size
- Up to 43 cm (Length of specimen)
Wingspan
- Wingspan data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Similar taxa
-
Animalia:
Eastern curlew (species: Numenius madagascariensis)
Larger than the Whimbrel and with a much longer bill -
Animalia:
Little curlew (species: Numenius minutus)
Smaller than the Whimbrel and with a shorter bill
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Web resources
References
- Domm, S. (1977). Sea birds and waders of the Lizard Island area, The Sunbird, 8: 1-8. LIRS catalog number 4.
- Smith, G.C. (1987). The birds of Eagle Island, a tropical sand cay on the northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia, The Sunbird, 17(1): 1-11. LIRS catalog number 245.