Numenius americanus
Silhouette: Rebecca Groom (based on Photo by Andreas Trepte) · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus) is a large North American shorebird of the family Scolopacidae. This species was also called "sicklebird" and the "candlestick bird". The species breeds in central and western North America, migrating southward and coastward for the winter.
The long-billed curlew is the largest sandpiper of regular occurrence in North America. It is 50–65 cm (20–26 in) long, 62–90 cm (24+1⁄2–35+1⁄2 in) across the wing and weighs 490–950 g (1 lb 1+1⁄2 oz – 2 lb 1+1⁄2 oz). Its disproportionally long bill curves downward and measures 11.3–21.9 cm (4+1⁄2–8+5⁄8 in), and rivals the bill of the larger-bodied Far Eastern curlew as the longest bill of any shorebird. Individuals have a long neck and a small head. The neck and underparts are a light cinnamon in color, while the crown is streaked with brown. This species exhibits reversed sexual dimorphism, as in many sandpipers, the female being larger and having a much longer bill than the male's.
The breeding habitat is grasslands in west-central North America. The species displays an elaborate courtship dance, with fast and looping display flights also being common. A small hollow... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | Badlands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 6 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tracy Aviary | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Seattle Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Seattle Marine Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Long-billed Curlew sighting in Badlands National Park on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 108th most-seen of the 120 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Long-billed Curlew in Badlands National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Long-billed Curlew sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
7th of 12
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Long-billed Curlew sightings, Badlands National Park ranks 7th at under 5%. The best odds are in Padre Island National Seashore (United States, about 60%), El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 40%) and Channel Islands National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Long-billed Curlew is recorded against all the birds logged in Badlands National Park (14 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
