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Birds · Charadriiformes · Scolopacidae
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Least Concern
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The whimbrel is a large wader with a long, downcurved bill and a striking pale stripe on the crown. It breeds on the tundra and peat bogs of northern Eurasia and North America and winters on coasts across five continents. Its name comes from its call: a rapid series of seven whistled notes, unmistakable across the marshes. In winter it specialises in crabs, which it extracts from their burrows with its curved bill.
Weight
270 g – 600 g
Size
37 cm – 47 cm
Life expectancy
25 years
