Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus [Linnaeus, 1758] |
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| Jump to: Other Names | Trends & Distribution | Breeding & Survival | Biometrics | Books & Links |
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For details point at or click the |
Page updated:16-January-2013 |
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Order:
Charadriiformes
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Family: Scolopacidae |
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BTO Codes:
WM, WHIMB
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EURING No: 5380 | |
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Number in Britain:
530 pairs (Summer)
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Conservation Status:
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| Links to: Images Videos Sound | ||
Status in UK:
(A) Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
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Subspecies:
phaeopus (BW), hudsonicus (V) recorded in Britain (of 6 subsp. in the world)
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Length:
41 cm
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Wingspan: 82 cm |
Weight:
M/F: 430 g
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Scientific name from:
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Gr.: neos=new + mene=moon (i.e. crescent-shaped) and Gr.: phaios=dusky + pous=foot |
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World Distribution:
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BREEDS: n Eurasia & n North America: WINTERS: south to s Asia, Africa, Australia & South America |
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Habitat:
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Tundra, moor, heath, on migration marsh & estuary |
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Diet:
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Invertebrates and plant material according to availability; rarely probes deeply |
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TitBit:
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The Whimbrel's distinctive call is often associated with a Celtic superstition of the 'seven-whistlers', supposedly a group of six birds looking for a seventh - hearing the call augured death or other disaster. |
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Population and Distribution |
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British Population Size:
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Summer:
530 pairs
in 1989-92
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Winter:
30 individuals
in 2004-09
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| Passage: 3000 individuals | ||||
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First Record:
Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times
[Fossil evidence from
Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
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Conservation Status:
RED
because
Recent Breeding Population Decline (1981-2007),
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Previous Assessments:
2002-2007
AMBER
1996-2001
AMBER
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| Races of Concern: phaeopus RED (Recent Decline) | ||||
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Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
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| No habitat data from BBS | ||||
| Migration routes: Map of foreign ringing recoveries | ||||
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European Population Size:
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Summer:
154 to 330 thousand pairs
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| Population Assesment from Birds in Europe | ||||
| Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas | ||||
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Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(I), WBD(II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
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Breeding and Survival |
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Egg Size:
58 x 41 mm
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Egg Weight: 50.0 g (of which 5 % is shell) | ||
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Number of Nest Records:
0
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Clutch Size:
4 eggs
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Incubation:
27- 28 days
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by the: Male + Female |
Fledging:
35 - 40days
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as:
Precocial, downy
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First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
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Number of Broods:
1
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Number Ringed:
Annual Totals
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Adult Survival:
0.890
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Juvenile Survival:
No data
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Age at First Breeding:
2
years
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Typical Lifespan:
11
years
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Maximum Recorded Age:
24 years 1 months 25 days (set in 2010)
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| Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries | |
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Biometrics |
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Ring Size:
E
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Wing Length
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Adult: | 255.6 ± 8.6 Range 224.0 - 282.0 mm, (N = 63) |
| Juvenile: | 245.0 ± 10.0 Range 227.0 - 286.0 mm, (N = 61) | |
| Male: | Insufficient Data | |
| Female: | Insufficient Data | |
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Weight
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Adult: | 439.8 ± 60.93 Range 205.0 - 652.0 g , (N =48) |
| Juvenile: | Insufficient Data | |
| Male: | Insufficient Data | |
| Female: | Insufficient Data | |
| Seasonal: | Summer 430.5 ± 70.30 (N = 284) Autumn 467.0 ± 68.02 (N = 154) | |
| Source: | British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data | |
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Other Names |
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Has Included Numenius hudsonicus
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| Gaelic: Eun-Bealltainn | Welsh: Coegylfinir |
| Danish: Småspove | Dutch: Regenwulp |
| Finnish: Pikkukuovi | French: Courlis corlieu |
| German: Regenbrachvogel | Hungarian: Kis póling |
| Icelandic: Spói | Irish: Crotach Eanaigh |
| Italian: Chiurlo piccolo | Norwegian: Småspove |
| Polish: Kulik mniejszy | Portuguese: Maçarico-galego |
| Spanish: Zarapito trinador | Swedish: Småspov |
| Local Names:May bird, Tang Whaup, Seven-whistler | |
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For More Information... |
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Books and Monographs:
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| Nethersole-Thompson, D. & M. 1986 Waders, their breeding, haunts and watchers Poyser, London [598.6 NET] | |
| See Also: | |
Find scientific papers on  Google Scholar
or  Scirus by clicking the icon
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| Wikipedia entry | |
| BirdLife species page | |
| Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides | |
| All About Birds (from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) | |
| Details from the Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter | |
| Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead | |
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