Population status

Long-billed Curlew
(Numenius americanus)

The species declined significantly in both abundance and range in the late 19th and early 20th century (Dugger and Dugger 2002). The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the only range-wide and long-term source of trend data for this species. Although the BBS occurs in June, a time when Curlews are largely inconspicuous, coverage of the population and precision of the trend estimates are good. Surveys that monitor shorebirds during migration record Long-billed Curlews, but results are not considered here because the BBS is thought to be the better source. Previous analyses of Breeding Bird Survey data suggested population declines (e.g., Hill 1998), and led to the concerns surrounding the species’ status. However, current analyses suggest that the population size has not changed significantly relative to about 1970 in either Canada or the United States. A dedicated survey to estimate population size for Long-billed Curlews was recently implemented (Jones et al. 2008). Although no trend estimates are available from this survey, results suggest the population size was previously underestimated by a substantial margin (Stanley and Skagen 2007). The abundance of Long-billed Curlew is thought to have changed little in Canada relative to 1970 but, because of the drawbacks to the BBS methodology for this species and the large differences in population estimates from one year to the next, this assessment is considered to be of only medium reliability.

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

Additional information on: Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

References

• COSEWIC. 2002a. COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. vii + 31 pp. COSEWIC. 2002a. COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. vii + 31 pp. (Link)
• COSEWIC. 2011e. COSEWIC Status Appraisal Summary on the Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. iv pp. COSEWIC. 2011e. COSEWIC Status Appraisal Summary on the Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. iv pp. (Link)
• Dugger, B.D. and K.M. Dugger. 2002. Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Dugger, B.D. and K.M. Dugger. 2002. Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. (Link)
• Hill, D.P. 1998. Status of the Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) in Alberta. Alberta Environmental Protection, Fisheries & Wildlife Management Division, and Alberta Conservation Association, Wildlife Status Report No. 16, Edmonton, Alberta. 20 pp. Hill, D.P. 1998. Status of the Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) in Alberta. Alberta Environmental Protection, Fisheries & Wildlife Management Division, and Alberta Conservation Association, Wildlife Status Report No. 16, Edmonton, Alberta. 20 pp. (Link)
• Jones, S.L., C.S. Nations, S.D. Fellows and L.L. McDonald. 2008. Breeding Abundance and Distribution of Long-billed Curlews (Numenius americanus) in North America. Waterbirds 31:1-158. Jones, S.L., C.S. Nations, S.D. Fellows and L.L. McDonald. 2008. Breeding Abundance and Distribution of Long-billed Curlews (Numenius americanus) in North America. Waterbirds 31:1-158. (Link)
• Stanley, T.R. and S.K. Skagen. 2007. Estimating the breeding population of Long-Billed Curlew in the United States. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:2556-2564.
• Thompson, E.E. 1891. The Birds of Manitoba. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 13:457-643. Thompson, E.E. 1891. The Birds of Manitoba. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 13:457-643. (Link)