Birds of Britain 



wing at the least alarm and calling out its loud *' cour lie," 

 which may be heard a considerable way off. Its food 

 consists of worms, slugs, snails, and other insects, and 

 when on the shore, small fish and Crustacea are added to 

 the bill of fare. 



The general colour is a pale brown, with dark streaks ; 

 rump, vent, and upper tail coverts white. In winter the 

 under parts are very pale in colour, almost white. The 

 female is larger and the young in their first plumage are 

 spotted rather than streaked on the back. Length 21-26 

 in.; bill 4-7-6 in.; wing 11-5-12-25 in. 



THE WHIMBREL 



Numenius pheopus (Linnseus) 



The Whimbrel only passes through these islands on 

 migration, though a few pairs breed on the Orkneys and 

 Shetlands. The spring passage generally takes place in 

 May, from which it is known in some countries as the 

 May-bird. In habits and food it closely resembles the 

 Curlew, but its note is very different, being a rather melodious 

 rippling whistle, which may be syllabled as " telly, telly, 

 telly, tet." The fells of Arctic Europe form its chief nesting- 

 grounds, whence it migrates in winter to the shores of the 

 Mediterranean. 



In plumage it is very similar to the Curlew, but may 

 always be distinguished by having the crown of a uniform 

 dark brown with a pale stripe down the centre. It is also 



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