Numenius borealis
The Eskimo Curlew, Numenius borealis, is a medium-sized shorebird, tragically iconic for its likely extinction. Historically, adults measured approximately 30-34 cm (12-13.5 in) in length with a wingspan of 60-65 cm (24-26 in) and weighed around 270-450 grams. Its plumage was a mottled warm brown overall, with a paler, buffy belly and characteristic cinnamon-barred primary feathers visible in flight, a key identification mark differentiating it from similar species like the Whimbrel. It posse...
Breeds in the open, treeless Arctic tundra; primarily wintered in temperate grasslands and coastal scrublands of South America.
Primarily consumed insects, particularly locusts and grasshoppers, during migration and on wintering grounds, supplementing with berries (especially crowberries) on breeding grounds and during fall migration.
Historically, Eskimo Curlews were highly social birds, migrating and foraging in immense flocks that sometimes darkened the sky, a spectacle that contributed to their vulnerability to market hunting. They were diurnal foragers, probing with their bills into soft soil and vegetation for insects an...
Historically, the Eskimo Curlew bred across the Arctic tundra of North America, encompassing northern Alaska, the Yukon Territory, and the western Northwest Territories of Canada, primarily above the tree line. During fall migration, immense flocks would stage in Labrador and Newfoundland before ...
Critically Endangered
- Once so numerous that flocks were described as darkening the sky for hours, rivaling the Passenger Pigeon in sheer numbers. - Known by various common names including 'Doughbird' (due to its plumpness in autumn) and 'Prairie Dove' for its mild, plaintive call. - Its annual migration route was on...