LONG-BILLED CURLEW 



264. Numenius americanus. 23 in. 



Bill much decurved and very long (4 to 8 in.), the 

 longest of any of our shore birds. Plumage variegated 

 with rufous and blackish above; bright buffy or rufous 

 below, streaked on neck and breast, and barred on the 

 sides with blackish. " Sickle-bills," as these birds are 

 often called, are the largest of our shore birds. They 

 are very conspicuous either when flying or walking on 

 the marshes or sandbars, their size appearing gigantic 

 when they are in a flock of smaller plover, as sometimes 

 happens. They fly in compact flocks, evidently led by 

 one individual, for they wheel and circle in perfect 

 unison, sailing up in the wind on outspread wings, when 

 about to alight. 



Notes. A flute-like whistle, " ker-loo." 



Nest. On the ground; eggs greenish -buff, with small 

 black spots over the whole surface (2.50x 1.80). 



Range. Breeds in the Upper Miss. Valley, north to 

 Manitoba; winters in the Gulf States, and southward; 

 formerly bred on the South Atlantic coast; strays to 

 New England and New Brunswick in the fall. 



