eastern cape scuba diving
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| Scientific name: |
Numenius phaeopus |
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| Common name: |
Common Whimbrel |
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| Taxonomy |
| Phyulm |
Sub Phylum |
Class |
Sub Class |
Order |
Sub Order |
Family |
Sub Family |
Genus |
Species |
| Chordata |
Vertebrata |
Aves |
Neornithes |
Charadriiformes |
Limicolae |
Scolopacidae |
Tringinae |
Numenius |
Numenius phaeopus |
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Short Description:
It is mainly greyish brown, with a white back and rump ), and a long curved bill (longest in the adult female) with a kink rather than a smooth curve. It is generally wary.
The usual call is a rippling whistle, prolonged into a trill for the song.
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Identification
features: |
Greyish brown, with a white back and rump and a long curved bill |
| Size: |
It is 37–47 cm (15–19 in) in length, 75–90 cm (30–35 in) in wingspan |
| Behaviour: |
This is a migratory species wintering on coasts in Africa, South America, south Asia into Australasia and southern North America. It is also a coastal bird during migration. It is fairly gregarious outside the breeding season. |
| Diet: |
This species feeds by probing soft mud for small invertebrates and by picking small crabs and similar prey off the surface. Prior to migration, berries become an important part of their diet. It has also been observed taking insects, specifically blue tiger butterflies |
| Distribution: |
This is a migratory species wintering on coasts in Africa, South America, south Asia into Australasia and southern North America. It is also a coastal bird during migration |
| Habitat: |
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| Reference: |
- Two Oceans
(A guide to the marine life of Southern Africa)
GM Branch;CL Griffiths;ML Branch;LE Beckley
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| Similar Species: |
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Database Statistics
(Click on the links for more information) |
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eastern cape scuba diving
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