Eurasian Whimbrel

Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is a medium curlew with a downcurved bill, striped crown and strongly patterned brown upperparts. 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 comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It probes for crabs and worms on coasts and feeds on insects and berries inland during long migrations. 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).