Bristle-thighed Curlew

Bristle-thighed Curlew (Numenius tahitiensis) is a medium curlew with striped crown, buff rump and stiff bristle-like feather shafts on the thighs. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds in western Alaska and winters on Pacific islands, eating invertebrates, fruit, eggs and other varied food. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).