Numenius borealis J. R. Forster, 1772:411,431
Eskimo curlew (see Greenway, 1967:264 for a list of regional names)
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Synonym/s: Phaeopus borealis Forster, 1772:411,431; Scolopax borealis Forster, 1772:411,431
Conservation Status
Extinct
Last record: 1939 (wintering grounds); 4 September 1963 (Barbados) (Robbins, 2018:84); 1981 (Kittelberger et al., 2024); 1987? (Suckling et al. 2004)
IUCN RedList status: Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)
Distribution
Americas (migratory)
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
The last known specimen:
The last confirmed record of the species is of an individual shot on Barbados, on 4 September 1963, now accessioned as ANSP 169796 (Robbins, 2018:84).
There are 52 specimens in the MCZ's ornithology collection, Harvard University:
Ornithology 100627 (male)
Ornithology 100628 (female)
Ornithology 148175 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 15387 (female)
Ornithology 171759 (male)
Ornithology 182290 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 182291 (female)
Ornithology 182292 (male)
Ornithology 188626 (male)
Ornithology 204960 (male)
Ornithology 206715 (male)
Ornithology 206716 (female)
Ornithology 219172 (male)
Ornithology 219174 (male)
Ornithology 231148 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 231149 (female)
Ornithology 247825 (male)
Ornithology 247826 (male)
Ornithology 247827 (female)
Ornithology 254817 (female)
Ornithology 271621 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 301738 (male)
Ornithology 301739 (male)
Ornithology 301740 (male)
Ornithology 301741 (female)
Ornithology 301742 (female)
Ornithology 301743 (male)
Ornithology 30508 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 30509 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 30510 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 311929 (female)
Ornithology 31206 (female)
Ornithology 31207 (female)
Ornithology 313495 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 315235 (female)
Ornithology 315591 (male)
Ornithology 318909 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 318910 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 318911 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 328583 (male)
Ornithology 328584 (male)
Ornithology 342028 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 342348 (male)
Ornithology 42493 (female)
Ornithology 58360 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 63236 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 71586 (female)
Ornithology 71587 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 73329 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 7475 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 84053 (sex unspecified)
Ornithology 84443 (sex unspecified)
For details of all records search "Numenius borealis" at: http://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/SpecimenSearch.cfm
Media
All four known historical photos of living Eskimo curlews, all taken in April 1962 on Galveston Island, Texas, were published in (Melling, 2010), including a previously unpublished colour photograph. Melling (2010) also includes a fifth possible photo, also taken on Galveston Island in April 1962, but with a seemingly deeper bill, that may or may not be an Eskimo curlew.
References
Original scientific description:
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http://extinctanimals.proboards.com/thread/7792/numenius-borealis-eskimo-curlew
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/apr/11/extinct-since-1960s-eskimo-curlews-used-to-fly/