LONG-BILLED CURLEW 439 



Arizona, and northeastern California; winters from South Carolina, Florida, 

 southern Louisiana and Texas, southern Arizona, and central California south 

 to Guatemala (modified from Cooke, 1910, p. 70). 



Distribution in California — Common spring and fall migrant over the 

 whole state, except in the northwestern coast district and higher southern 

 Sierras. Winters west of the Sierras from the Mexican line north at least as 

 far as the latitude of San Francisco and occasionally to the head of the Sacra- 

 mento Valley; also east of the Sierras in the vicinity of Owens Lake; breeds 

 in the elevated northeastern portion of the state, west at least to Butte Valley, 

 Siskiyou County; observed in the San Joaquin Valley during June, though such 

 birds have not been shown to be breeding. 



The Long-billed Curlew is the largest shore bird found in North 

 America, and this, together with the fact that its flesh is highly prized 

 by many as an article of food, has made it one of the most sought after 

 species of American game birds. Its large size makes it a conspicuous 

 mark for gunners, so that its numbers have been greatly reduced 

 within the past fifty years. In addition, the species does not have 

 the protection of a far northern breeding ground as is the case with 

 so many of its kind, its nesting grounds being almost entirely within 

 the area which lias been taken up for agricultural purposes in the 

 northern United States and southern Canada. Because it is a promi- 

 nent species in any region where it occurs, the Long-billed Curlew 

 has received many colloquial names. The long curved bill has given 

 rise to such names as Sickle-bill, Sickle-billed Curlew and Curve-bill, 

 while its long legs merit the name Daddy-long-legs, and its prolonged 

 call-note has given the appellation of Wheu-bird. 



Long-billed Curlews are present in California throughout the year, 

 but not continually in any one locality. During the winter the species 

 is present in the San Joaquin Valley north to Stockton and occasion- 

 ally to the head of the Sacramento Valley (Belding, MS), while 

 along the seacoast it occurs at the same season at least as far north 

 as the latitude of San Francisco, and east of the Sierras has been 

 recorded in December at Owens Lake (A. K. Fisher, 1893a, p. 24). 

 It has not yet been reported in winter from the deserts of south- 

 eastern California, although during the same season, it does occur 

 in fair numbers in the coastal district of southern California west of 

 the mountains. 



In southern California northward migration occurs chiefly during 

 April (Willett, 1912a, p. 39). Fall migration sets in during July, 

 as birds of this species were observed off Monterey, July 17, 1894 

 (Loomis, 1895, p. 189) and during the same month at San Pedro 

 (Cooper in Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, 1884, I, p. 312) ; but they 

 do not seem to reach inland spots such as the shores of San Francisco 

 Bay until August or September (W. E. Bryant in Belding, MS; Grin- 

 nell and Storer, MS). Summering individuals have been found in the 



