ANATOMY OF BIRDS
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS
LIZARD-TAILED BIRD
AMERICAN TOOTHED-BIRDS
THE OSTRICHES
THE RHEAS
EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
THE TINAMOUS
THE KIWIS
THE PENGUINS
LOONS AND GREBES
ALBATROSSES & PETRELS
STORK-LIKE BIRDS
GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS
FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS
CRANE-LIKE BIRDS
PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching THE PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
THE PLOVERS, SNIPES, AND IMMEDIATE ALLIES
The Hudsonian Curlew
(N. hudsonicus) is smaller, being only seventeen or eighteen inches long, and may be known by the dusky brown wings and the crown with two broad, lateral stripes of brownish dusky, enclosing a narrower middle stripe of buffy.
This species is also found over the whole of North America, but breeds only in the Arctic regions, and winters from the Gulf States to the southern extremity of South America. It keeps more to the coasts during its migrations, but in general resembles the others in habits; its call note, however, is quite distinct.
The smallest of our species is the Eskimo Curlew (N. borealis), which has a total length of only thirteen or fourteen inches. It is similar in coloration to the last, but has the crown streaked with dusky and lacks the lighter median stripe. It is found in northern and eastern North America, but breeding only far northward.
They were observed abundantly in Labrador by Dr. Coues, who says they associate in”flocks of every size, from three to as many thousands, but generally flies in a loose, straggling manner. Their flight is firm, direct, very swift, when necessary much protracted, and is performed with regular, rapid beats. They never sail, except when about to alight; as their feet touch the ground, their long, pointed wings are raised over their back, until the tips almost touch, and then deliberately folded. Their note is an often-repeated, soft, mellow, though clear, whistle, which may be easily imitated.
”He found them feeding almost entirely on the crow-berry (Empetrum), which grows on the hills in the greatest profusion. According to Mr. William Brewster, there is reason to believe that the Eskimo Curlew is now extinct. The only other American species is the Bristle-thighed Curlew (N. tahitiensis), so called from the fact that the thighs are provided with numerous elongated bristles which project far beyond the tips of the feathers. It is confined to the northwest coasts of North America and the Pacific Islands.
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