The Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis), also called the northern curlew, is a type of curlew in the Scolopacidae family. It was once one of the most common shorebirds in the tundra of western Arctic Canada and Alaska. In the late 1800s, thousands of these birds were killed each year. Since 1963, there have been no confirmed sightings, and no reliable sightings have been reported since 1987. Because of this, the Eskimo curlew is considered Critically Endangered or possibly extinct. The bird is about 30 cm (12 in) long and eats mostly insects and berries.

Taxonomy

The Eskimo curlew is one of eight curlew species grouped in the genus Numenius. It has sometimes been placed in a different genus called Mesoscolopax. The genus Numenius belongs to the family Scolopacidae. Other birds in this family include woodcocks, phalaropes, snipes, and sandpipers. Scolopacidae is part of a larger group called Charadriiformes.

The species was first described by Johann Reinhold Forster in 1772. The name Numenius has three possible origins. One idea is that it comes from the Greek word "noumenios," which means "of the new moon," because the curlew's thin beak resembles a crescent moon. Another possibility is that the name comes from the Greek word "numen," meaning "nod," referring to the way curlews tilt their heads forward. A third idea is that Numenius is a Latin version of the Greek word "noumenios," which was used by the writer Diogenes Laërtius to describe a type of curlew. The specific name "borealis" is Latin for "northern."

This species has many common names, including doe-bird, doughbird, fute, little curlew, and prairie pigeon. The names "doe-bird" and "doughbird" describe how the bird appears round and full when it begins its early migration south.

Description

Eskimo curlews are small birds. They are about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long, weigh approximately 360 grams (13 ounces), and have a wingspan of 70 centimeters (28 inches). Adult birds have long, dark grey legs and a long, curved bill that points downward. Their backs are mottled brown, and their bellies are light brown. When they fly, their wings have a cinnamon-colored edge. They look similar to the Hudsonian whimbrel but are smaller.

In the wild, the only sure way to tell them apart is by checking the undersides of their flight feathers, which are not barred. Their call is not well known, but it includes clear whistling noises.

Eskimo curlews form a pair with the Asian little curlew (Numenius minutus). However, they are slightly larger, have longer wings, shorter legs, and a warmer color in their feathers compared to their Asian relative.

Distribution and habitat

The Eskimo curlew is a bird found in the Americas. This species bred in the tundra regions of western Arctic Canada and Alaska.

Eskimo curlews traveled to the Pampas of Argentina during late summer and returned to their breeding grounds in February. These birds were once occasionally seen in western Europe, but there have been no recent sightings. In Britain, there are four recorded observations, all from the 1800s.

A comparison of timing and migration paths has led some to suggest that Eskimo curlews and American golden plovers may have been the birds that helped Christopher Columbus notice nearby land after 65 days at sea during his first voyage. In the 1800s, millions of Eskimo curlews followed migration routes from the present-day Yukon and Northwest Territories. They flew east along the northern coast of Canada, then south across the Atlantic Ocean to South America for the winter. When returning to North America, they traveled north through the Great Plains.

Ecology and behaviour

Eskimo curlews use their eyes to find food and use their beaks to dig for food. They eat mostly berries during their fall migration in Canada. During other parts of their migration and when they are breeding, they eat insects. Snails and other small creatures without backbones, including the extinct Rocky Mountain locust, are also part of their diet during migration.

Nesting likely happens in June. Nests are built on the ground in open areas and are hard to spot. They are made of small pieces of dry grass or leaves. The eggs are green with brown spots.

It is not known how this species cares for their eggs. It is unclear if one or both parents incubate the eggs or how long this process takes. These birds do not attack people who approach their nests, which suggests their nests are far apart from each other.

Probable extinction

At one time, the Eskimo curlew was one of the most numerous shorebirds in North America. Its population may have reached millions. As many as 2 million birds were killed each year near the end of the 1800s. The last confirmed sightings were in 1962 on Galveston Island, Texas, where it was photographed, and in 1963 on Barbados, where a specimen was collected. A reliable report of 23 birds in Texas was recorded in 1981. Between 1964 and 2006, a few dozen unconfirmed reports were made from various locations, including the Northwest Territories, Texas, Ontario, Manitoba, Massachusetts, Alaska, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Argentina, Guatemala, Labrador, New Jersey, and North Carolina. No confirmed record of this species has been reported in South America since 1939. Some experts say the species should not be considered extinct until all possible habitats are checked and no more sightings are reported. Until then, it should be classified as critically endangered (possibly extinct). Full details on all sightings up to 1986 are included in the online version of the book Eskimo Curlew: A Vanishing Species.

This species is fully protected in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Hunting has been banned since around 1916.

In popular culture

The difficult situation of this bird inspired the novel (and later an Emmy Award-winning 1972 ABC Afterschool Special) titled Last of the Curlews.

The "Esquimaux Curlew" is shown on plate 357 of Audubon's Birds of America.