Audubon's Birds/BIRDSVER1_3.BIN/dp/0060/00609.txt

Text File | 1992-08-27 | 19KB | 284 lines

$Unique_ID{BRD00609}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{The Long-Billed Curlew}
$Subject{Scolopacinae; Numenius; longirostris; americanus; Long-Billed Curlew}
$Journal{Birds of America:  Volume VI}
$Volume{Vol. 6:35-41}
$Family{Scolopacinae}
$Genus{Numenius}
$Species{longirostris; americanus}
$Common_Name{Long-Billed Curlew}
$Log{
Plate CCCLV*00609P1.scf
Family*00565.txt
Genus*00608.txt
Figure*0060901.scf}

       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                       B I R D S   O F   A M E R I C A .

                   By John James Audubon, F. R. SS.  L. & E.

                   ------------------------------------------
                                   VOL.  VI.
                        --------------------------------


                            THE LONG-BILLED CURLEW.
                             [Long-billed Curlew.]


                          NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS, Wils.
                             [Numenius americanus.]


                         PLATE CCCLV.--MALE AND FEMALE.


     The Long-billed Curlew is a constant resident in the southern districts of
the United States, whereas the other species are only autumnal and winter
visiters.  It is well known by the inhabitants of Charleston that it breeds on
the islands on the coast of South Carolina; and my friend the Reverend JOHN
BACHMAN has been at their breeding grounds.  That some individuals go far north
to breed, is possible enough, but we have no authentic account of such an
occurrence, although many suppositions have been recorded.  All that I have to
say on this subject is, that the bird in question is quite unknown in the
Magdeleine Islands, where, notwithstanding the assertions of the fishermen, they
acknowledged that they had mistaken Godwits for Curlews.  In Newfoundland, I met
with a well-informed English gentleman, who had resided in that island upwards
of twenty years, and described the Common Curlew of Europe with accuracy, but
who assured me that he had observed only two species of Curlew there, one about
the size of the Whimbrel--the Numenius hudsonicus, the other smaller--the N.
borealis, and that only in August and the beginning of September, when they
spend a few days in that country, feed on berries, and then retire southward.
Mr. JONES of Labrador, and his brother-in-law, who is a Scotch gentleman, a
scholar, and a sportsman, gave me the same account.  None of my party observed
an individual of the species in the course of our three months' stay in the
country, although we saw great numbers of the true Esquimaux Curlew, N.
borealis.  Yet I would not have you to suppose that I do not give credit to the
reports of some travellers, who have said that the Long-billed Curlew is found
in the fur countries during summer.  This may be true enough; but none of the
great northern travellers, such as RICHARDSON, ROSS, PARRY, or FRANKLIN, have
asserted this as a fact.  Therefore if the bird of which I speak has been seen
far north, it was in all probability a few stragglers that had perhaps been
enticed to follow some other species.  I am well aware of the propensity it has
to ramble, as I have shot some in Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, and
Mississippi; but the birds thus obtained were rare in those districts, where the
species only appears at remote periods; and in every instance of the kind I have
found the individuals much less shy than usual, and apparently more perplexed
than frightened by the sight of man.
     Until my learned friend, Prince CHARLES BONAPARTE, corrected the errors
which had been made respecting the Curlews of North America, hardly one of these
birds was known from another by any naturalist, American or European.  To
WILSON, however, is due the merit of having first published an account of the
Long-billed Curlew as a species distinct from the Common Curlew of Europe.
     This bird is the largest of the genus found in North America.  The great
length of its bill is of itself sufficient to distinguish it from every other.
The bill, however, in all the species, differs greatly, according to the age of
the individual, and in the present Curlew I have seen it in some birds nearly
three inches shorter than in others, although all were full grown.  In many of
its habits, the Long-billed Curlew is closely allied to the smaller species of
Ibis; its flight and manner of feeding are similar, and it has the same number
of eggs.  Unlike the Ibis, however, which always breeds on trees, and forms a
large nest, the Curlew breeds on the ground, forming a scanty receptacle for its
eggs; yet, according to my friend BACHMAN, the latter, like the former, places
its nests "so close together, that it is almost impossible for a man to walk
between them, without injuring the eggs."
     The Long-billed Curlew spends the day in the sea-marshes, from which it
returns at the approach of night, to the sandy beaches of the sea-shores, where
it rests until dawn.  As the sun sinks beneath the horizon, the Curlews rise
from their feeding--rounds in small parties, seldom exceeding fifteen or twenty,
and more usually composed of only five or six individuals.  The flocks enlarge,
however, as they proceed, and in the course of an hour or so the number of birds
that collect in the place selected for their nightly retreat sometimes amounts
to several thousands.  As it was my good fortune to witness their departures and
arrivals in the company of my friend BACHMAN, I will here describe them.
     Accompanied by several friends, I left Charleston one beautiful morning,
the 10th of November, 1831, with a view to visit Cole's Island, about twenty
miles distant.  Our crew was good, and although our pilot knew but little of the
cuttings in and out of the numerous inlets and channels in our way, we reached
the island about noon.  After shooting various birds, examining the island, and
depositing stir provisions in a small summer habitation then untenanted, we
separated; some of the servants went off to fish, others to gather oysters, and
the gunners placed themselves in readiness for the arrival of the Curlews.  The
sun at length sunk beneath the water-line that here formed the horizon; and we
saw the birds making their first appearance.  They were in small parties of two,
three, or five, and by no means shy.  These seemed to be the birds which we had
observed near the salt-marshes, as we were on our way.  As the twilight became
darker the number of Curlews increased, and the flocks approached in quicker
succession, until they appeared to form a continuous procession, moving not in
lines, one after another, but in an extended mass, and with considerable
regularity, at a height of not more than thirty yards, the individuals being a
few feet apart.  Not a single note or cry was heard as they advanced.  They
moved for ten or more yards with regular flappings, and then sailed for a few
seconds, as is invariably the mode of flight of this species, their long bills
and legs stretched out to their full extent.  They flew directly towards their
place of rest, called the "Bird Banks," and were seen to alight without
performing any of the evolutions which they exhibit when at their
feeding-places, for they had not been disturbed that season.  But when we
followed them to the Bird Banks, which are sandy islands of small extent, the
moment they saw us land, the congregated flocks, probably amounting to several
thousand individuals all standing close together, rose at once, performed a few
evolutions in perfect silence, and re-alighted as if with one accord on the
extreme margins of the sand-bank close to tremendous breakers.  It was now dark,
and we left the place, although some flocks were still arriving.  The next
morning we returned a little before day; but again as we landed, they all rose a
few yards in the air, separated into numerous parties, and dispersing in various
directions, flew off towards their feeding-grounds, keeping low over the waters,
until they reached the shores, when they ascended to the height of about a
hundred yards