Long-billed Curlew

1/2500s at f8.0, ISO:800 Canon EOS-1D X w/800mm x1.4 converter


The Long-billed Curlew is the largest nesting or regularly occurring sandpiper in North America. Their breeding habitat is grasslands in west-central North America. The species displays an elaborate courtship dance during breeding season. Fast and looping display flights are also common. A small hollow is lined with various weeds and grasses to serve as the nest. Four eggs are always laid, as this is a characteristic of shorebirds. The eggs vary in hue from white to olive. The Long-billed Curlew is a precocial bird, and the chicks leave the nest soon after hatching. Both parents look after the young. The bird usually feeds in flocks. Using its long bill, it probes the mud near its habitat, foraging for suitable food. The usual food consists of crabs and various other small invertebrates. The species also feeds on grasshoppers, beetles and other insects. This bird has occasionally been known to eat the eggs of other birds.
Bolsa Chica Wetland/Upper Newport Bay California
 
12/26/2013