Characteristics
 The whimbrel is a large shorebird that is about 14 inches in length. It has a long, down-curved, dark brown bill and long gray legs. It is
a streaked brown on its uppersides, streaked brown on its neck and breast and white on its belly and rump. It has
a dark brown crown and a grayish line above its eye and a dark brown line the runs over its eyes like a mask!
Range
The whimbrel breeds on the tundra in Alaska and Canada east to the Hudson Bay. It migrates south along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and winters in the southern coasts of the United States south to South America. The whimbrel is also found in Eurasia.
Habitat
The whimbrel lives on the tundra in breeding season, in the winter it can be found in coastal areas on mudflats, marshes and shorelines.
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Diet
The whimbrel uses its long, curved bill to probe deep in the sand and mud for food. It wades in shallow water in search of crabs, fish, worms and mollusks. It also eats insects, seeds, berries and leaves.
Life Cycle
 The male whimbrel flies in circles over the breeding territory and sings as he tries to attract a mate. The female lays 3-5 eggs in a depression on the ground that is lined with moss, grass and lichen. Both parents incubate the eggs. Incubation takes 27-28 days. The chicks leave the nest shortly after they are born and feed themselves. Both parents care for the chicks until they fledge 34-42 days after hatching.
Behavior
Whimbrels aggressively protect their nesting areas and may even attack humans if they come too close!
Image Credits: Clipart.com unless otherwise noted
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