Whimbrel or Curlew?

[jmack]

Please tell me what this is and how to tell the difference between Curlew and Whimbrel.

[GuyF]

Nice shot! This one's a Curlew. The markings on the head are useful for separating these two, Whimbrel are strongly marked with a dark eye-stripe, dark cap and pale stripe on the crown whereas Curlew have a much plainer face. There are also differences in the bills with the Whimbrel's tending to be shorter and less smoothly curved.
Guy

[Adam Cheeseman]

Seen together the Whimbrel is also a much smaller bird.

Cheers,

Adam

[Dogghound]

Even when seen apart a whimbrel is noticably smaller.

[PMG]

The characteristics (jizz!) of curlew is a large - almost 'gangly' looking bird with a big body and correspondingly small head with a long 'thin' curved beak (tho curlew can have shorter beaks just to confuse matters!)
Whimbrel are 'more in proportion' by comparison - the head and body look like they match - the whole bird looks in better proportion and the beak is shorter more downcurved and slightly 'thicker' .........

Of course these are very subjective observations but at a distance when the light is bad and the whimbrels head stripes can be hard to see then these sorts of 'feelings' can be useful.

Whimbrels can be more approachable too than curlew which can be very flighty birds - tho it can be the opposite way around - whimbrel who stay in the middle of a field in the distance and curlew on busy beaches and seafronts who ignore birdwatchers and passersby ..........