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Whimbrel

Status Uncommon transient. It is a rare spring migrant, with most records between 29 April and 2 June. Early individuals were on Sable Island on 6 April 1972 and at Cherry Hill Beach, Lunenburg County, on 6 April 1981. Birds seen on 21 June 1976, 20 June 1980, and 23 June 1983 may have been non-breeders. First migrants have otherwise appeared in early July (average 9 July, earliest 30 June). It is generally an uncommon fall migrant, although locally common in some years. Last sightings are generally in October (average 11 October, latest 26 November). One of the European race (see Remarks) remained until late December.

Description Length: 38-48 cm. The long, down-curved bill varies in length from 7-10 cm, depending upon age and sex. Adults: Upperparts dull brown more or less marked with buff; crown blackish brown with a central buffy gray stripe; buffy gray line above and a dark brown line through eye; underparts buff, lightening to nearly white on throat and cheeks; brown bars on flanks and faint stripes on breast up to neck and face; legs and feet bluish gray.

Range Breeds from Alaska to the west side of Hudson Bay. Migrates southward, chiefly along both coasts; wintering in southern states (rarely) and south to parts of South America. Other populations are found in the Old World.

Remarks For many years before the Migratory Bird Treaty between Canada and the United States was signed in 1916, Whimbrels were hunted relentlessly in Cape Breton and Richmond counties in particular, where they loitered in autumn to fatten on the rich berry-laden barrens. Gorged with food, they gathered in the late afternoon to fly to rocky islets along the coast to roost for the night. Aware of these roosting places, groups of hunters waited for the unsuspecting birds. As the flocks streamed in to alight, the slaughter was heavy, the bewildered survivors flying off into the gathering darkness in screaming confusion and alarm.

In 1920 I discussed the Whimbrel situation with some of the older hunters of the general area about Scatarie Island, off the Cape Breton County coast. They told me that a marked diminution in the number of Whimbrels had taken place during the preceding two decades, adding that the thousands of earlier days had been reduced to a few hundred. From more recent reports it appears that there has been little if any improvement.

Whimbrels from Europe (Numenius phaeopus phaeopus), which have a distinctive white rump, are very rare visitants. The first, taken aboard ship near Sable Island on 25 May 1906 (Brewster 1909), was ascribed to Numenius phaeopus islandicus of Iceland, now considered indistinguishable from N. p. phaeopus. More recently, individuals have been identified at Cherry Hill Beach, Lunenburg County, lingering from 13 October to 28 December 1974 (S. Fullerton et al.); at Matthews Lake, Shelburne County, on 20 August 1976 (G. Perry); at Martinique Beach, Halifax County, on 19 August 1977 (A.R. MacInnis); and at Hartlen Point, Halifax County, on 23 June 1983 (F.L. Lavender et al.).