The Long-billed Curlew 
No. 252 
Long-billed Curlew 
A. O. U. No. 264. Numenius americanus Bechstein. 
Synonyms.— Sickle-bill. Hen Curlew. 
Description. — Adult: General color ochraceous-buff (tilleul buff) to pale cin¬ 
namon-rufous (vinaceous buff or avellaneous); upperparts varied with dusky—in 
broad streaks on crown, in narrow streaks on sides of head and neck, in heavy central 
“herring-bone” connected bars on back and tertials, and so variously mottled through¬ 
out, only the outer webs of outer primaries being of solid color,—dusky; below sharply 
streaked on breast and sides, sometimes sparingly barred, with blackish, the ground- 
color reaching its greatest purity and intensity on axillars. Bill very long, considerably 
decurved toward tip; the culmen brownish dusky, the lower mandible yellow at base 
and darkening toward tip; feet and legs stout, dark; claws short and broad. Length 
508-660.4 (20.00-26.00); wing 300 (11.80); tail 120 (4.72); bill up to 215.9 (8.50). Av. 
about 165.1 (6.50); tarsus 88 (3.46). 
Recognition Marks. —About crow size—making some allowance for bill; pale 
cinnamon coloration; long decurved bill distinctive; quavering cry. 
Nesting. — Nest: A rather deep grass-lined depression on ground. Eggs: 4; 
ovate, not sharply pointed, olive-buff, deep olive-buff, pale dull clay-color, or dull 
gray-green (vetiver green), spotted or sometimes blotched with sepia and deep brownish 
olive, or with under-shell markings of deep olive, citrine drab, grape-green and grayish 
olive. Av. size 65.5 x 46.5 (2.58 x 1.83); index 71. Season: April 15—May 15; one 
brood. 
General Range. —North America. Formerly bred practically throughout the 
LTnited States, including Florida. Range now restricted to western Canadian Provinces 
(central Saskatchewan to south-central British Columbia), the states west of the 
Mississippi River and the Gulf States; now breeding south to northeastern California, 
northern New Mexico, and northwestern Texas. Winters from California and the 
South Atlantic and Gulf States south to the West Indies and Guatemala. 
Distribution in California. —Fairly common migrant east and west of the 
Sierras. Breeds in the northeastern plateau counties. Winters sparingly in the San 
Diegan district, in the central valleys, and near San Francisco. Not reported from 
the islands. 
Authorities.—Gambel (Numenius longirostris ), Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 
ser. 2, i., 1849, p. 223 (Calif.); Feilner, Ann. Rep. Smithson. Inst, for 1864 (1865), pp. 
423, 428 (Butte Valley, Plumas Co., desc. nest, eggs, habits); Shufeldt, Jour. Anat. and 
Physiol., vol. xix., 1884, p. 51, pis. (osteology); Grinnell, Condor, vol. xxiii., 1921, 
p. 21 (syst., crit.). 
THE LONG-BILLED CURLEW, or Sickle-bill, is by reason of being 
a little the largest, justly accounted the dean of the American Shore- 
birds. Indeed, it shares with the common Curlew of Europe, Numenius 
arcuatus , the honor of being the largest of the world’s Limicolce. For¬ 
merly abundant throughout the West, and especially in California, the 
species is known now as a sparing winter resident along our northern 
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