Numenius phaeopus
The Common Whimbrel is another wading bird that visits South Africa only during our summer months, with most birds arriving locally after an arduous trek from their breeding grounds in Russia at the start of spring and staying until early autumn. During their time in this country they’re seen quite commonly along the coast and (much less frequently) at inland bodies of water. Our largest single population is probably found at the Langebaan Lagoon in the West Coast National Park. A fairly significant portion of their local population, probably youngsters, overwinter in South Africa. The Whimbrel is found, for at least part of the year, on the shorelines of and at large lakes and wetlands on all the continents except Antarctica though some authorities consider the Hudsonian Whimbrel that lives in the Americas to be a separate species. The IUCN considers it to be of least concern.
The Common Whimbrel feeds on aquatic invertebrates, found by probing the wet sand and mud in lagoons, estuaries and marshes with its exceptionally long bill. The bill is in fact 2-2.5 times longer than their head! Fully grown Whimbrels measure about 43cm long and weigh around 400g. They’re usually seen singly or in loosely associated flocks, often in the company of other wading birds.
DeWetsWild 
Ek het hulle ook al baie in Langebaan gesien, maar nooit geweet wat hulle name is nie. En toe is dit al die tyd ‘n Russiese “invasion” 😉. Ek stem saam met Aletta dat hulle baie ver vlieg … as ek die Common Whimbrel was, het ek vir altyd in Langebaan gebly!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dit is werklik verstommend dat hulle sulke enorme afstande afle om te eet en te broei!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A focus on an interesting bird – and lovely photographs!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks a lot, Anne. We don’t often get a chance to see most of the species frequenting the coast, like this one.
LikeLike
Sjoe, hulle vlieg darem maar ver, ne! Ons sien hulle gereeld hier by ons in Langebaan. Nou weet ek darem watter soort voel dit is. Pragtige foto’s Dries.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Julle is gelukkig in die sin dat die Grootwulp, wat baie skaarser is, ook daar by Langebaan voorkom, Aletta. Hulle snawels is nog langer as die van die Kleinwulp!
LikeLike