Far Eastern Curlew
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[Photo] Far Eastern Curlew, Numenius madagascariensis French Frigate Shoals. Source USFWS Hawaiian Islands NWR & NMFS (NOAA). Date June 2002

The Far Eastern Curlew or Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) is a large shorebird most similar in appearance to the Long-billed Curlew, but slightly larger. It is mostly brown in color, differentiated from other curlews by its plain, unpatterned brown underwing. It has the longest bill of any shorebird.

The Far Eastern Curlew spends its breeding season in northeastern Asia, including Siberia to Kamchatka, and Mongolia. Its breeding habitat is comprised of marshy and swampy wetlands and lakeshores. Most individuals winter in coastal Australia, with a few heading to South Korea, Thailand, and New Zealand, where they stay at estuaries, beaches, and salt marshes. During its migration, the Far Eastern Curlew commonly passes through the Yellow Sea.

It uses its long, decurved bill to probe for invertebrates in the mud. It may feed in solitary but it generally congregates in large flocks to migrate or roost. Its call is a sharp, clear whistle, cuuue-reee, often repeated.

The bird not well-known, but it is uncommon at best and may be declining. As of 2006, there are an estimated 38,000 individuals in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_Eastern_Curlew

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