Long-Billed Curlew
Numenius americanus

The Long-Billed Curlew is a distinctive bird. In North America, sometimes these birds are confused with Whimbrels. With its long beak, it can forage deeper into the sand and mudflats than any of its competitors. They are the largest shorebird with the longest beak in North America. We see them often on shorelines of lakes and oceans, yet they are perfectly at home foraging in agricultural fields.
When the breeding season arrives, these birds head to the interior of the American western Great Plains and Great Basin states. Short or mixed grasslands usually satisfies their nesting needs. After leaving the breeding grounds, most birds leave for Mexico and the southern USA states, especially the coastlines. We may find some birds wintering on the Pacific coast from the Canadian border to Central America.
The Long-Billed Curlew has two close relatives in Asia and Europe; the Eurasian Curlew and the critically endangered Far Eastern Curlew. Differentiating the sexes in these birds is difficult, though observers believe that the bills of the females are longer, and more decurved at the tip. It’s not unusual in shorebirds for the females of the species to depart from the breeding grounds early, leaving the males to attend the child-rearing duties. Our Long-Billed Curlew is no exception.
Some scientists regard the Long-Billed Curlew as monotypic (i.e. no subspecies), but others believe there are two subspecies. Those would-be subspecies are:
- N. a. americanus breeds in northeastern Nevada and east to South Dakota and in Utah, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and northern Texas. They spend winters from California and Texas south to Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
- N. a. parvus breeds in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, northeastern California and South Dakota. They spend winters in California, and Louisiana south to Mexico.
These large shorebirds are easy to find in coastal San Diego County. I’ve met many of them on the coastlines of South San Diego Bay and its adjacent wetlands. In fact, the entire coast of California has been a good place to meet these birds. Texas hosts this species in winter, but I met only a single bird there as it flew over Aransas NWR. My first meeting with the Long-Billed Curlew on their breeding grounds was on Antelope Island in Utah’s Great Salt Lake, when I found a probable male bird standing on a large rock in the middle of a grassy field advertising his location to any females within eyesight or earshot.
45 Photos

Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) San Diego River flood control channel. San Diego, California USA 2010-01-09. |
Date Taken: 2010:01:08 16:00 |
Location:
Ocean Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: JCD5883.LongBilledCurlew-2 |
© 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) San Diego River flood control channel. San Diego, California USA 2010-01-08. |
Date Taken: 2010:01:08 15:59 |
Location:
Ocean Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1499 |
File Name: Cut_JCD5872.LongBilledCurlew-2 |
© 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Taking off with a crab meal. Tijuana River Estuary. Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California USA 2010-02-11. |
Date Taken: 2010:02:11 13:26 |
Location:
Border Field |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD6101.LongBilledCurlew-2 |
© 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Taking off with a crab meal. Tijuana River Estuary. Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California USA 2010-02-11. |
Date Taken: 2010:02:11 13:26 |
Location:
Border Field |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD6099.LongBilledCurlew-2 |
© 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Capturing and eating a crab at the San Diego River flood control channel. San Diego, California USA 2010-01-08. |
Date Taken: 2010:01:08 15:59 |
Location:
Ocean Beach |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1499 |
File Name: JCD5872.LongBilledCurlew-2 |
© 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Antelope Island State Park, north of Salt Lake City, Utah USA 2015-05-10. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:10 15:41 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0804-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Bird on breeding grounds at Antelope Island State Park, north of Salt Lake City, Utah USA 2015-05-10. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:11 8:03 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X1311-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Antelope Island State Park, north of Salt Lake City, Utah USA 2015-05-10. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:11 8:04 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X1333-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California USA 2011-11-01. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:01 12:43 |
Location:
W F V Z |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/8.0, 1/6 |
File Name: D3X4455-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California USA 2011-11-01. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:01 12:45 |
Location:
W F V Z |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/8.0, 1/4 |
File Name: D3X4457-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County USA 2011-07-07. |
Date Taken: 2011:07:07 8:44 |
Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/6400 |
File Name: JCD0512-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The beach at Poe Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California USA 2009-07-07. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:06 19:39 |
Location:
Poe Road |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD3794.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California USA. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:29 14:17 |
Location:
Saltworks |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD4627.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: San Diego River flood control channel. San Diego, California 2010-01-08. |
Date Taken: 2010:01:08 16:00 |
Location:
Robb Field |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: JCD5883.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California USA 2009-08-05. |
Date Taken: 2009:08:05 11:50 |
Location:
Saltworks |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/22.0, 1/200 |
File Name: JCD5951.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Foraging along the bay shore at the Saltworks at South San Diego Bay NWR. San Diego County, California USA 2009-08-05. |
Date Taken: 2009:08:05 12:11 |
Location:
Saltworks |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/22.0, 1/200 |
File Name: JCD5973.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Taking off with a crab meal. Tijuana River Estuary. Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California USA 2010-02-11. |
Date Taken: 2010:02:11 13:26 |
Location:
Border Field |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD6099.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2010 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Taking off with a crab meal. Tijuana River Estuary. Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California USA 2010-02-11. |
Date Taken: 2010:02:11 13:26 |
Location:
Border Field |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD6101.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2010 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Jousting behaviour at the Tijuana River Estuary. Imperial Beach, San Diego County, California USA 2010-02-18. |
Date Taken: 2010:02:18 11:12 |
Location:
Malheur, NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/3200 |
File Name: JCD6697.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2010 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Foraging in the fields by Vendel Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California USA 2009-11-27. |
Date Taken: 2009:11:27 12:30 |
Location:
Vendel Road |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: JCD8290.LongBilledCurlew |
© 2009 Jack Daynes, shadetree-imaging |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Foraging at Cibola NWR, South of Blyth, CA. In Arizona near the Colorado River. |
Date Taken: 2004:04:02 12:47 |
Location:
Goose Loop |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD_6317LongBilledCurlew |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Foraging on the bay shore mud flats on Tern survey day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:05 11:51 |
Location:
Saltworks |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X2850-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius phaeopus) |
Description: Tijuana River Mouth in Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:04 9:32 |
Location:
Tijuana River Mouth |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X3415-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: With Mole Crab near the Tijuana River. Extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:09:08 9:21 |
Location:
Border Field |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X8605-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The channel entering Morro Bay is a great place to meet Sea Otters and many birds. San Luis Obisbo County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:17 9:02 |
Location:
Morro Rock |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D5X4138-MorroBay |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The channel entering Morro Bay is a great place to meet Sea Otters and many birds. San Luis Obisbo County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:17 8:57 |
Location:
Morro Rock |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D5X4061-MorroBay |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 6:52 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D5X6041-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: This curlew picked up from the marsh near where the cranes were foraging. My third day of exploration of Aransas NWR was a memorable one. I boarded the tour boat the "Skimmer" and got schooled by Captain Tommy Moore on a three plus hour cruise of the back-bays and waterways beyond the view of the public from the tour roads on the reserve. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:17 11:43 |
Location:
Aransas NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D503952-BoatRide-Aransas-NWR |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Foraging at the beach at Border Field, south of Imperial Beach, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2015:07:02 10:16 |
Location:
Border Field |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X1932-LongBilledCurlew |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Antelope Island State Park is one of the most memorable birding locations I've had the pleasure of visiting. It sits north of Salt Lake City Utah near the community of Layton. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:18 6:59 |
Location:
Antelope Island |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D5X6082-AntelopeIsland |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The channel entering Morro Bay is a great place to meet Sea Otters and many birds. San Juis Obisbo County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:17 8:51 |
Location:
Morro Bay |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D5X4033-MorroBay |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The region around the mouth of the Eel River, including Hookton Slough, has been a productive place to meet a variety of bird species. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:10 10:57 |
Location:
Hookton Slough |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8504382-HooktonSlough |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: These birds were foraging at Drake’s Beach, on the southern shore of the peninsula. Point Reyes National Seashore on the northern California coast. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:05 15:23 |
Location:
Point Reyes |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8503056-PointReyes |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: These birds were foraging at Drake’s Beach, on the southern shore of the peninsula. Point Reyes National Seashore on the northern California coast. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:05 15:21 |
Location:
Point Reyes |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8503032-PointReyes |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: One of my favorite regions to explore is California’s central coast. Always a favorite stop for me in Morro Bay, is the inlet at the north end of the bay, where Morro Rock imposes its presence on the coastline. Long-Billed Curlews worked the nearby shore. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:01 13:16 |
Location:
Morro Rock |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8501556-MorroBay |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: These birds were foraging at Drake’s Beach, on the southern shore of the peninsula. Point Reyes National Seashore on the northern California coast. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:05 15:35 |
Location:
Point Reyes |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8503256-PointReyes |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The region around the mouth of the Eel River, including Hookton Slough, has been a productive place to meet a variety of bird species. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:10 10:57 |
Location:
Hookton Slough |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8504375-HooktonSlough |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The local birding community in Burns Oregon were holding a “Birding Festival” when I arrived in the area. In my past visits to the region, I’d always forsaken my explorations around town to focus on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. I made an exception on this trip, and was rewarded with some nice surprises, like a multitude of these curlews. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:23 17:44 |
Location:
North Foley Drive |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8503956-BurnsOregon |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The local birding community in Burns Oregon were holding a “Birding Festival” when I arrived in the area. In my past visits to the region, I’d always forsaken my explorations around town to focus on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. I made an exception on this trip, and was rewarded with some nice surprises, like a multitude of these curlews sharing the feeding grounds with Willets. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:23 17:32 |
Location:
North Foley Drive |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8503839-BurnsOregon |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The local birding community in Burns Oregon were holding a “Birding Festival” when I arrived in the area. In my past visits to the region, I’d always forsaken my explorations around town to focus on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. I made an exception on this trip, and was rewarded with some nice surprises, like a multitude of these curlews sharing the feeding grounds with Willets. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:23 17:32 |
Location:
North Foley Drive |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8503834-BurnsOregon |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The local birding community in Burns Oregon were holding a “Birding Festival” when I arrived in the area. In my past visits to the region, I’d always forsaken my explorations around town to focus on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. I made an exception on this trip, and was rewarded with some nice surprises, like a multitude of these curlews. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:23 17:32 |
Location:
North Foley Drive |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8503830-BurnsOregon |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: This poor curlew has lost the toes on its left foot, but otherwise seems OK. These birds were foraging at Drake’s Beach, on the southern shore of the peninsula. Point Reyes National Seashore on the northern California coast. |
Date Taken: 2022:03:05 15:22 |
Location:
Point Reyes |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_8503043-PointReyes |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: The channel entering Morro Bay is a great place to meet Sea Otters and many birds. San Juis Obisbo County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:17 8:57 |
Location:
Morro Rock |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D5X4051-MorroBay |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: Shorebirds find this reserve as attractive as do the waterfowl. Seen at the Merced National Wildlife Reserve on 2019-01-26, twelve miles southwest of the town of Merced, Merced County California (USA). |
Date Taken: 2019:01:26 15:21 |
Location:
Merced NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 450 mm, f/10.0, 1/800 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D507736-Merced-NWR |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Long-Billed Curlew(Numenius americanus) |
Description: (Numenius americanus) Seen at the Merced National Wildlife Reserve on 2019-01-26, twelve miles southwest of the town of Merced, Merced County California (USA). |
Date Taken: 2019:01:26 15:22 |
Location:
Merced NWR |
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 450 mm, f/10.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: LongBilledCurlew_D507740-Merced-NWR |
© 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |

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