145: Long-Billed Curlew
Who’s the largest shorebird in North America? If you guessed the Long-Billed Curlew because that’s the subject of today’s newsletter, then you are a master sleuth worthy of Columbo. If you knew it already you probably don’t need to read today’s newsletter because you already know too much.
These are a migration bird for Colorado, seen in spring and summer when they breed in the ponds, wet meadows, and playas of eastern Colorado and northwestern Colorado. They have long, downward-curving bills that resemble a sickle and give them their Latin species name, Numenius (from Greek noumenios, the new crescent moon). They are also known as a “sicklebird” or a “candlestick bird”.* They use that long bill to probe for tasty treats like mollusks, worms, and grasshoppers. They also eat fish, amphibians, and the eggs and young of other birds. In autumn, they head for the west and east coasts and all of Mexico to spend the winter in warmer climes.
This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with the female having a larger body and longer bill than the male; the bill, by the way, can be over 21 cm (8 inches) long. The males perform a courtship dance that involves swooping and diving to display their skilful flying.
*It’s not a Colorado wildlife fact, but we do have readership in California, so I will mention that the “candlestick bird” used to live in great numbers around San Francisco, and Candlestick Point – and subsequently Candlestick Park – are named for them. Sadly they had mostly been driven out of the area by human development by the 1950s when the park was built.