Little Curlew
Numenius minutus
The Little Curlew (Numenius minutus) is a rare sandpiper found in 23 countries, weighing about 173 g. The little curlew is a wader in the large bird family Scolopacidae.
About the Little Curlew
The little curlew is a wader in the large bird family Scolopacidae. It is a very small curlew, which breeds in the far north of Siberia. It is closely related to the North American Eskimo curlew.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
It is mainly greyish-brown, including the underwings, with a white belly, and a short, for a curlew, curved bill. It has a head pattern like a Eurasian whimbrel, with crown and superciliary stripes. The call is a repetitive whistle. It is the smallest species of curlew with an average length of 28–31 cm (11–12 in), an average wingspan of 68–71 cm (27–28 in) and an average weight of 175 grams (6.2 oz).
What the Little Curlew sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Netherlands, United States, Belgium, Solomon Islands.
When to see it
Best months: January, April, May, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a passage migrant species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Little Curlew?
- It is mainly greyish-brown, including the underwings, with a white belly, and a short, for a curlew, curved bill. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Little Curlew?
- The Little Curlew is a medium sized bird weighing about 173 g.
- Where can you see a Little Curlew?
- The Little Curlew occurs in 23 countries, including Australia, Taiwan, Sweden, China and Mongolia.
- What does a Little Curlew sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Little Curlew on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Little Curlew?
- The Little Curlew is most easily confused with the Bristle-thighed Curlew, the Hudsonian Whimbrel and the Far Eastern Curlew.
- Is the Little Curlew endangered?
- The Little Curlew is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Little Curlew for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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