Far Eastern Curlew

Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) is the largest curlew, with very long downcurved bill, long legs and plain warm-brown plumage. 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 breeds in northeastern Asia and migrates to coastal mudflats where it probes deeply for crabs, worms and molluscs. 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).