General

Whimbrel: Large, long-legged sandpiper with brown and white mottled upperparts and buff underparts with faint streaks on sides and flanks. Crown is white-striped black and neck is long and streaked. Bill is long, black, and decurved. Tail and rump are brown and black barred. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Whimbrel: Breeds in the Arctic and winters in Africa, southern North America, South America, and south Asia. Preferred habitats include tundra, marshes, prairies, shorelines, and mud flats.

Breeding and Nesting

Whimbrel: Three to five olive to buff eggs tinted with brown and lavender are laid in a shallow depression lined with soft grasses, mosses, and lichens. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 28 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Whimbrel: Feeds on insects, snails, slugs, crabs, shrimp, mollusks, and worms. Probes deeply into mud and moves as it feeds. Also picks off food found on the ground. Sometimes takes large prey, tearing it into pieces small enough to eat.

Vocalization

Whimbrel: A series of 5 to 7 loud, clear, whistled notes: "pip-pip-pip-pip-pip."

Similar Species

Whimbrel: Long-billed Curlew is larger, has longer bill, and lacks head stripes. Bristle-thighed Curlew has rust-brown tail and rump.