Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Identification Tips:

• Length: 14 inches
• Large shorebird
• Long decurved bill
• Dark legs
• Grayish-white and brown head stripes
• Brown upperparts with small light and dark spots
• Brown streaked neck and breast
• White belly and undertail coverts
• Plain upperparts, no wing stripe and dark rump (most birds in US)
• Juvenile has larger buff spots on the upperparts

Similar species:

Long-billed Curlew is larger, has longer bill, and lacks head stripes. In Alaska, Bristle-thighed Curlew has rusty tail and rump.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.