Numenius americanus
Silhouette: Rebecca Groom (based on Photo by Andreas Trepte) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
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 |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Long-billed Curlew sighting in San Francisco on a given day, based on 12,180 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 67th most-seen of the 375 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July–August and October–January
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Long-billed Curlew in San Francisco on a given day, against under 5% in May and June, the lowest months.
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.
2nd of 9
Of the 9 cities where we can rate Long-billed Curlew sightings, San Francisco ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in San Diego (United States, about 20%).
Same genus: Numenius
The closest relatives of the Long-billed Curlew that you can see in San Francisco (genus Numenius, Curlews) are Hudsonian Whimbrel (about 20%) and Whimbrel (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Long-billed Curlew is recorded against all the birds logged in San Francisco (12,180 verified sightings), 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.
