# Hudsonian Whimbrel (*Numenius hudsonicus*) The Hudsonian Whimbrel is a beautiful bird with long legs and a curved beak. It loves to wade in shallow waters and is known for its lovely, melodic calls. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 13 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Hudsonian Whimbrel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hudsonian_Whimbrel%252C_Morro_Bay%252C_California_%284455150327%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: ALAN SCHMIERER, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hudsonian_Whimbrel%252C_Morro_Bay%252C_California_%284455150327%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Hudsonian Whimbrel is a medium-sized shorebird with mottled brown and white plumage. It has a distinctive long, downward-curved bill, a dark cap, and two pale stripes over its eyes, giving it a unique head pattern. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Numenius ## Interesting facts - A Whimbrel once flew over 5,000 km across the ocean without stopping! - Sometimes, they follow tractors to find bugs stirred up from the soil! - Their name sounds like their whistle: 'Whim-brel'! - They lay their eggs in a simple nest on the open ground. ## Special abilities - **Super Sniffer Bill:** Hudsonian Whimbrel has a super sensitive bill tip that helps them find hidden food underground without seeing it. - **Migration Marathoner:** Hudsonian Whimbrel can fly thousands of kilometers non-stop because of incredible endurance, helping them reach faraway homes. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Hudsonian Whimbrel has speckled brown plumage that helps them blend perfectly with rocks and grasses to hide from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 37-47 cm - **Wingspan:** 76-89 cm - **Weight:** 0.27-0.493 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 22-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 12000 km ## Diet & Feeding This shorebird loves to slurp up tasty crabs, insects, and berries from coastal mud and tundra. - **Primary Foods:** crabs, marine worms, beetles, spiders, crowberries, cranberries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Predates on adult Whimbrels and chicks. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Preys on Whimbrel eggs and young chicks. - **Hunts:** Fiddler Crab (*Uca pugnax*) — Hunted by Whimbrels in coastal mudflats. - **Eats:** Crowberry (*Empetrum nigrum*) — Whimbrels eat the berries, especially on tundra. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Hudsonian Whimbrel? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Hudsonian Whimbrel? 37-47 cm ### What is Hudsonian Whimbrel's wingspan? 76-89 cm ### How much does Hudsonian Whimbrel weigh? 0.27-0.493 kg ### How long does Hudsonian Whimbrel live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Hudsonian Whimbrel move? 80 km/h ### What does Hudsonian Whimbrel eat? This shorebird loves to slurp up tasty crabs, insects, and berries from coastal mud and tundra. ### Where is Hudsonian Whimbrel usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [Pointe Mouillee State Game Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pointe-mouillee-state-game-area) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Presidio Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/presidio-park) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Sitka National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sitka-national-historical-park) — US · National Park - [Arcata Community Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arcata-community-forest) — California, US · Forest - [Cape Lookout Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-village-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District [View all places to see Hudsonian Whimbrel](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/hudsonian-whimbrel) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Hudsonian Whimbrel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hudsonian-whimbrel)