Whimbrel

Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) hunting the mudflats at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (IPhoto by Kester Clarke www.kesterclarke.net)

The Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is a migratory bird, wintering on coasts in Africa, South America, south Asia into Australasia and southern North America.

It is mainly greyish brown, with a white back and rump and a long, curved bill, which is longest in the adult female, with a kink rather than a smooth curve.

This species feeds by probing soft mud for small invertebrates and by picking small crabs and similar prey off the surface. It also takes berries and insects, specifically blue tiger butterflies.