Little Curlew
Numenius minutus
Silhouette: Rebecca Groom (based on Photo by Andreas Trepte) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyScolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
- GenusNumenius (Curlews)
- SpeciesNumenius minutus (Little Curlew)
About the Little Curlew
The little curlew (Numenius minutus) is a wader in the large bird family Scolopacidae. It is a very small curlew, which breeds in the far north of Siberia. It is closely related to the North American Eskimo curlew. The word "curlew" is imitative of the Eurasian curlew's call, but may have been influenced by the Old French corliu, "messenger", from courir, "to run". It was first recorded in 1377 in Langland's Piers Plowman. The genus name Numenius is from Ancient Greek noumenios, a bird mentioned by Hesychius. It is associated with the curlews because it appears to be derived from neos, "new", and mene, "moon", referring to the crescent-shaped bill. The species name is from Latin minutus, "small".
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 Eurasian whimbrel, with crown and superciliary stripes. The call is a repetitive whistle. It is the smallest species of curlew with an average length of 28–31 cm (11–12 in), an average wingspan of 68–71 cm (27–28 in) and an average weight of 175 grams (6.2 oz).
This is a strongly migratory species,... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Little Curlew in Kakadu National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kakadu National Park
Far Eastern Curlew
Numenius madagascariensis
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Calidris acuminata
Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponica
Comb-crested Jacana
Irediparra gallinacea
Masked Lapwing
Vanellus miles
Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | |
| 6 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Little Curlew in Kakadu National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Little Curlew sighting in Kakadu National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Little Curlew in Kakadu National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Little Curlew in Kakadu National Park in our monthly data.