Long-billed Curlew

Numenius americanus Bechstein, 1812

584 gWeight

The long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus) is a large North American shorebird of the family Scolopacidae.

Busiest months: January, August–September and November · Most records: United States, Mexico, Canada

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: January, August–September and November · Most records: United States, Mexico, Canada

Long-billed Curlew has been recorded at 276 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 9 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

San Diego River mudflatsUnited States11,141 records
Bolsa Chica Ecological ReserveUnited States9,780 records
Moss Landing – Jetty Road, north jetty & State BeachUnited States7,864 records

More places

Arcata Marsh and Wildlife SanctuaryUnited States5,417 records
Willcox – Lake Cochise and Twin Lakes Golf CourseUnited States5,240 records
Morro Bay SP – Marina/Boardwalk TrailUnited States4,780 records
Palo Alto BaylandsUnited States4,573 records
Bolsa Chica – walkbridge/inner bayUnited States4,543 records
Antelope Island SP – CausewayUnited States4,459 records
Bolivar Flats Shorebird SanctuaryUnited States4,221 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Mexico Canada Costa Rica El Salvador Panama Belize Colombia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus) is a large North American shorebird of the family Scolopacidae. This species was also called "sicklebird" and the "candlestick bird". The species breeds in central and western North America, migrating southward and coastward for the winter.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Long-billed Curlew?

The Long-billed Curlew weighs around 584 g.

Where does the Long-billed Curlew live?

Its breeding range: North America: inland grassland of temperate west-central North America: southern British Columbia east to southwestern Saskatchewan (southwestern, south-central Canada) and south to northeastern California, northeastern New Mexico and northwestern Nebraska (southwestern, west-central USA). It is most often recorded in United States, Mexico and Canada.

When is the best time to see the Long-billed Curlew?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, August, September and November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Long-billed Curlew endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Long-billed Curlew as Least Concern.

What does the Long-billed Curlew eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Long-billed Curlew in?

It belongs to the family Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 584 g
Habitat: Grassland
Diet: Omnivore
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Migratory
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 267 mm
Tail: 95 mm
Bill: 164 mm
Tarsus: 84 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America: inland grassland of temperate west-central North America: southern British Columbia east to southwestern Saskatchewan (southwestern, south-central Canada) and south to northeastern California, northeastern New Mexico and northwestern Nebraska (southwestern, west-central USA)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2