Little Curlew (species: Numenius (Numenius) minutus) in taxonomy (Gaia Guide)
Animalia > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Vertebrata > Gnathostomata > Tetrapoda > Aves > Charadriiformes > Scolopacidae > Numeniinae > Numenius > Numenius (Numenius) > Numenius (Numenius) minutus (gallery)
Numenius (Numenius) minutus
Little Curlew


©Wayne Cheng: Little Curlew (Numenius (Numenius) minutus)

©Marj Kibby: Little Curlews (Numenius (Numenius) minutus)

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae
Genus Numenius
Species Numenius (Numenius) minutus
Status least concern
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Colours

              

Distinguishing features

It is mainly greyish brown, including the underwings, with a white belly, and a short, for a curlew, curved bill. It has a head pattern like a Whimbrel, with crown and superciliary stripes. (Wikipedia)

Size

  • From 31 cm to 36 cm (Length of specimen)

Wingspan

  • From 68 cm to 71 cm

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

It breeds in the far north of Siberia. It is a strongly migratory species, wintering in Australasia. It is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.

It breeds in loose colonies in forest clearings in river valleys. It winters inland on grassland, cultivation or near fresh water, mainly in northern Australia but also as far south as St Kilda, South Australia.

Audio recordings


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2 birds in rice fields when flushed by farmer

© Matt Slaymaker
(source)

Diet

This species feeds by probing soft mud for small invertebrates. (Wikipedia)

Web resources

References

  • Simpson, K., N. Day and P. Trusler (2004). Field Guide to Birds of Australia: 7th Edition Penguin Group (Australia), Camberwell, Victoria.