171 Slender-billed Curlew
(Numenius tenuirostris )
Identification
36-41cm Whimbrel-sized, but slightly more delicate build, and bill thinner and tapering to finer tip. Ground colour on sides of head, throat and breast whiter, and black streaks more sharply contrasting than on both Whimbrel and Curlew; breast streaking gradually breaks up into diagnostic distinct rounded or drop-shaped spots on lower breast and flanks, contrasting sharply against white ground. Head pattern intermediate between Curlew and Whimbrel, has rather dark loral stripe and crown-side creating impression of light supercilium. Underwing-coverts all white; rump white and uppertail very pale. Secondaries and inner primaries distinctly barred light, giving obvious contrast with darker outer wing.
Description
In Hungary the Slender-billed Curlew is very rare, only ten accepted records since 1975, mostly from Hortobágy and Balmazújváros. Last record from Apaj Puszta in Kiskunság. In 19th and early 20th century it was rare, but regular autumn (September-November) and spring (March-April) in the Great Plain.
Can be found in the following IBAs
07 BA)
.JPG "171 Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris )")
Source: 1) Lovászi Péter (editor): Javasolt különleges madárvédelmi területek Magyarországon, Magyar Madártani és Természetvédelmi Egyesület, 2002; 2) BirdLife International:IUCN Red List for birds. Species factsheet; 3) Králl Attila, Nagy Károly: Fontos Madárélőhelyek Magyarországon (Területek, kritériumok és minősítő fajok) MME Monitoring Központ, 2007; 4) Szabolcs Kókay bird illustrations; 5) www.hungarianbirdwatching.com bird descriptions and checklists, 2004-2012; 6) Lars Svensson et al.: Collins Bird Guide: The Most Complete Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe 2nd Edition, Harper Collins, 2010; 7) MME Nomenclator Bizottság: Nomenclator avium Hungariae. An annotated list of the birds of Hungary. Magyar Madártani és Természetvédelmi Egyesület, 2008