Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia Birds of British Columbia Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador

By family

Sandpipers & Allies of New South Wales Sandpipers & Allies of Northern Territory Sandpipers & Allies of Queensland Sandpipers & Allies of South Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Tasmania Sandpipers & Allies of Victoria Sandpipers & Allies of Western Australia Sandpipers & Allies of British Columbia Sandpipers & Allies of New Brunswick Sandpipers & Allies of Newfoundland and Labrador

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The Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 365 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
Genus Numenius
Species phaeopus

Where it lives

Patchily in subarctic tundra of Palearctic: northeastern Greenland and northern Scotland through subarctic Russia to Chukotskiy Pen. (northeastern Russia)

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 365 g
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Near Threatened

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Eurasian Whimbrel is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Eurasian Whimbrel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) belongs to the Scolopacidae family of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL patchily in subarctic tundra of Palearctic: ne Greenland and n Scotland through subarctic Russia to Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Russia).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 365 g, with a wing length of about 23.3 cm and a tail of around 10 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.8 million km².

Songs & calls

Eurasian Whimbrel — Call, flight call, nocturnal flight call

Recorded by Mark James Pearson Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Eurasian Whimbrel?

The Eurasian Whimbrel is a large bird that weighs around 365 g.

Where does the Eurasian Whimbrel live?

The Eurasian Whimbrel is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL patchily in subarctic tundra of Palearctic: ne Greenland and n Scotland through subarctic Russia to Chukotskiy Pen. (ne Russia), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Eurasian Whimbrel belong to?

The Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Eurasian Whimbrel eat?

The Eurasian Whimbrel is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Eurasian Whimbrel migrate?

The Eurasian Whimbrel is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Eurasian Whimbrel endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Eurasian Whimbrel make?

1 real field recording of the Eurasian Whimbrel — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Eurasian Whimbrel's range?

The Eurasian Whimbrel has a mapped global range of about 4.8 million km².