Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyScolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
- GenusNumenius (Curlews)
- SpeciesNumenius phaeopus (Whimbrel)
The Eurasian whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), historically known as the white-rumped whimbrel in North America, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic Palearctic region and Europe as far south as Scotland. This species and the Hudsonian whimbrel were split in 2019, although some taxonomic authorities still consider them to be conspecific. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Whimbrel sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, based on 271 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Eurasian Curlew
Numenius arquata
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Sanderling
Calidris alba
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea
Little Stint
Calidris minuta
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Calidris subruficollis
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa
Ruff
Calidris pugnax
Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa stagnatilis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Whimbrel in iSimangaliso Wetland Park?
About 19% of wildlife watchers report a Whimbrel sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, based on 271 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Whimbrel in iSimangaliso Wetland Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Whimbrel in iSimangaliso Wetland Park in our monthly data.