Whimbrel (top row only)
Numenius phaeopus
The photographs in the top row are of Whimbrels, taken at the McLaughlin Eastshore State Park in Berkeley, CA on different days in early 2014. The photo on the top left, taken on March 28, gives a clear view of the brown head stripes that often help to distinguish this species from the larger but similar looking Long-Billed Curlew. The photo on the top right allows a good view of the bill length in relation to the bird's head size (bill about 2x head length); it was taken on April 17. The Whimbrel has a long bill, but it is shorter than the bill of the Long-Billed Curlew. For comparison purposes, a photograph of the Long-Billed Curlew (bill at least 3x head length) is in the bottom row, taken at the Hayward Regional Shoreline on July 31, 2015. (Click on images to see enlarged versions.)