General Description: Long-billed Curlews (Numenius americanus) are large shorebirds with an extremely long, decurved bill and an overall buffy color. In flight, shows cinnamon wing linings. The head has a bit of striping, but very little compared with Whimbrel, with which it could be confused.

Sexes similar except for bill shape. In females, the bill is relatively straight until it dips at the tip; whereas the bill of the male is more evenly curved.

Long-billed Curlew juveniles are born with a short bill that grows over time, and therefore, juveniles can be confused with Whimbrels and other short-billed species.

Taxonomy: Charadriiformes, Scolopacidae, Scolopacinae.

Favored Habitat: Prairies, grasslands, and freshly cut farm fields during the breeding season (where they eat lots of earthworms); coastal marshes, mudflats, and beaches during winter (where they eat a lot of crabs, sand crabs, and shrimp).

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, look for this species during migration at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, the Pahranagat Valley, and the Overton Wildlife Management Area. They winter in large numbers in farm fields near the Salton Sea.

Comments: Long-billed Curlews are the largest shorebird in North America.