| Curlew, Eskimo | |||
| Genus | Numenius | ||
| Species | borealis | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Habitat | Treeless Arctic tundra, natural grassland, burned prairies, meadows, pastures, plowed lands, intertidal zones, South American pampas, tall grass | ||
| Distribution | Alaska and northern Canada to Argentina | ||
| Appearance | Eskimo curlews are medium sized (about 30 cm), with slender, slightly down-curved bills. They have dark feathers and greenish legs. They have buffy coloration with v-shaped black marks, and darker cinnamon buff coloration under the wings. | ||
| Behavior | Curlew nests are shallow depressions in the surface of the open tundra. They are lined sparsely with decayed leaves and dried grasses. They roost out in the open. | ||
| Diet | Crowberries, snails, ants, egg capsules/pods, white grubs, cutworms, grasshopper egg pods/young | ||
| Feeding | These curlews eat a variety of insects and berries. They obtain grasshopper eggs or pods by probing in unplowed prairie land. These serve as an important energy source for the long spring migration. | ||
| Communication | There is no known ritual requirement, but it is presumed that they perform an aerial territory flight song just like other shorebirds. | ||
| Breeding | It is difficult to find Eskimo curlew nests. The eggs have a color similar to that of the surrounding grass, being dark brownish green to blue blotched with brown. Eggs are laid sometime in the spring, around May or June. The time of hatching and length of time young are dependent on adults is unknown, but by July the breeding season is mostly over. | ||
| No. of Young | 4 | ||
| Conservation |
The Eskimo curlew is endangered because of unrestricted overhunting for the market, especially during its northward spring migrations through the midwestern United States. Severe storms during its overocean migrations, habitat alteration by cultivation and grazing, and a series of unsuccessful breeding seasons have also contributed to its rapid decline. This bird also has a tame nature and is extremely friendly, making it easy prey for hunters.
Very little is really known about the Eskimo curlew, but conservation suggestions have been to rigidly protect the individuals that are discovered and to keep a lookout for them in areas where they were formerly concentrated. Special efforts to locate present breeding grounds might be beneficial, as well as increasing the area of unplowed grassland along migration routes. | ||
| Animal Communication Panel | |||
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