LONG-BILLED CURLEW 103 



victim. The crustaceans are taken on the beach, or, discovered beneath the 

 surface by the probing bill, are pulled out and eaten. The berries are neatly- 

 picked off the bushes, while butterflies and other insects are taken on the 

 wing. 



Behavior. — Except on their breeding grounds, wjiere they are 

 concerned in the welfare of their eggs or young, long-billed curlews 

 are exceedingly wary; when a flock is feeding, one or more birds 

 usually stand as sentinels, and at their cry of warning the whole 

 flock raise their wings and make off. Their flight is a bit erratic 

 or snipelike at first, but when well under way it is strong and steady. 

 While migrating or traveling for long distances they often fly high 

 in the air in wedge-shaped flocks, uttering occasionally their loud, 

 whistling notes. When alighting they drop nearly to the ground, 

 make a graceful upward sweep, and check their speed with a flash 

 of cinnamon wings. They walk gracefully and swiftly on land and 

 can swim if necessary. 



The night roosting habits are well described by Audubon (1840), 

 who saw them at their best in South Carolina. He writes : 



The long-billed curlew spends the day in the sea marshes, from which it 

 returns at the approach of night to the sandy beaches of the seashores, where 

 it rests until dawn. As the sun sinks beneath the horizon the curlews rise 

 from their feeding grounds in small parties, seldom exceeding 15 or 20, and 

 more usually composed of only 5 or 6 individuals. The flocks enlarge, how- 

 ever, as they proceed, and in the course of an hour or so the number of 

 birds that collect in the place selected for their nightly retreat sometimes 

 amounts to several thousands. As it was my good fortune to witness their 

 departures and arrivals, in the company of my friend, Bachman, I will here 

 describe them. The sun at length sunk beneath the water line that here 

 formed the horizon, and we saw the birds making their first appearance. 

 They were in small parties of 2, 3, or 5, and by no means shy. These seemed 

 to be the birds which we had observed near the salt marshes as we were on 

 our way. As the twilight became darker the number of curlews increased, 

 and the flocks approached in quicker succession until they appeared to form 

 a continuous procession, moving not in lines, one after another, but in an 

 extended mass, and with considerable regularity, at a height of not more 

 than 30 yards, the individuals being a few feet apart. Not a single note or 

 cry was heard as they advanced. They moved for 10 or more yards with 

 regular flappings, and then sailed for a few seconds, as is invariably the 

 mode of flight of this species, their long bills and legs stretched out to their 

 full extent. They flew directly toward their place of rest, called the " Bird 

 Banks," and were seen to alight without performing any of the evolutions 

 which they exhibit when at their feeding places, for they had not been dis- 

 turbed that season. But when we followed them to the Bird Banks, which 

 are sandy islands of small extent, the moment they saw us land the congi-e- 

 gated flocks, probably amounting to several thousand individuals, all standing 

 close together, rose at once, performed a few evolutions in perfect silence, 

 and realighted as if with one accord on the extreme margins of. the sand bank 

 close to tremendous breakers. It was now dark and we left the place, although 

 some flocks were still arriving. The next morning we returned a little before 

 2316—29 8 



