ESKIMO CURLEW Numenius borealis (Forster) 



Order: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: SCOLOPACIDAE 



Distinguishing characteristics : Medium sized shorebird, like a small whimbrel but bill 

 only about 2 inches long and slightly curved, blacker above and on the head, the feathers 

 with warm buffy brown tips. Underparts warm buffy. Under surface of wings conspicuously 

 cinnamon buff. 



Present distribution : One or two spring migrants seen on the Texas coast in 1950, 1959, 

 1960, 1961, and 1962. Not recorded there since. Specimen taken in fall migration of 1963 

 in Barbados, West Indies, now in Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. A sight 

 record was made at Cape May, New Jersey, September 20, 1959, and another near 

 Charleston, South Carolina, July 15, 1956. 



Former distribution : Nested in the tundra of northern Mackenzie and possibly north- 

 eastern Alaska. Wintered in grasslands from southern Brazil, south to southern 

 Argentina and Chile . In fall migration occurred chiefly in the interior prairie portions 

 of the continent . 



Status : Apparently very rare . Known only from one or two migrants seen occasionally 

 in spring migration, and one recent fall migrant specimen. No record since 1963. Present 

 breeding and wintering range unknown . Last winter record was for Province of Buenos 

 Aires, Argentina in 1939 (Wetmore 1939) . 



Estimated numbers : No basis for estimating . 



Breeding rate in the wild: One brood of four young annually . 



Reasons for decline : Excessive shooting formerly . Present limiting factors unknown . 



Protective measures already taken : Along with all other Scolopacidae, except the common 

 snipe and woodcock, there has been complete protection from hunting by law in the United 

 States and Canada for many years . Canadian Wildlife Service field personnel alerted to 

 pay special attention to curlews in hopes that more information can be obtained on their 

 distribution. 



Measures proposed : Special diligence in protection against undue disturbance during 

 migration in places where these birds have been recorded in recent years. Effort to 

 locate wintering populations in southern South America and breeding populations in 

 Canada to determine what limiting factors may exist there. 



Number in captivity : None . 



Breeding potential in captivity : Unknown . 



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