The Numenius Tenuirostris Extinction Story

The Numenius tenuirostris, also known as the Slender-billed Curlew, is an extinct bird species that was once found in the wetlands of Europe and Asia.

Its population declined significantly in the 19th century due to habitat loss and hunting.

The last confirmed sighting of the Numenius tenuirostris was in 1963 in the Soviet Union.

The species was declared extinct in 2007 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

A different take: Cacatua Tenuirostris

The slender-billed curlew was a small bird, measuring 36-41 cm in length with a 77-88 cm wingspan.

Its plumage was mainly greyish-brown above, with a whitish rump and lower back, and whitish underparts heavily streaked with dark brown.

The flanks had distinctive round or heart-shaped spots, which were fewer in number on non-breeding birds.

Male and female slender-billed curlews were alike in plumage, but females had longer bills than males.

The juvenile plumage was similar to the adult plumage, but with brown streaking on the flanks and heart-shaped spots only appearing towards the end of the first winter.

Compared to the Eurasian curlew, the slender-billed curlew was whiter on the breast, tail, and underwing, and had a shorter, more slender bill.

The distinctive flank markings of adults were not helpful in identifying juvenile and first-year birds before they moulted.

The uniformly dark underside of 4 to 6 outer primaries, the black legs, and the white tail with fewer dark bars were key identification features.

The Slender-billed Curlew, also known as Numenius tenuirostris, is a bird species that may now be a ghost in the landscape.

It's been years since they've been seen, and it's unclear if a few individuals still exist.

Their disappearance is a tragic loss for the wild, and conservation efforts should focus on protecting what's left of their habitat.

Unfortunately, it's too late for the Slender-billed Curlew, but learning from their story can help us prevent similar extinctions in the future.

Their case highlights the importance of swift and effective conservation action when a species is on the brink of extinction.

The potential breeding range of the Slender-billed Curlew has been identified through stable-isotope analysis, a technique used to analyze the chemical makeup of feathers.

Researchers used this method to identify potential breeding areas, and their findings suggest that the Slender-billed Curlew may have originated from the steppes of northern Kazakhstan and southern Russia between 48°N and 56°N.

The core of this area was around 50°N, which is some way to the south of the confirmed nesting sites in the forest steppes.

Agricultural expansion in this area may have contributed to declines of the Slender-billed Curlew population, highlighting the importance of targeted conservation efforts.

Surveys for the species might be better targeted at the Kazakh steppes, rather than around the historically recognised nest sites of southern Russia, which might have been atypical for the species.

The Slender-billed Curlew has been declared extinct, a tragic loss for the wild. This bird was once a part of our landscape, but it hasn't been seen for years.

Only a handful of photos exist of the Slender-billed Curlew, one of which is in the podcast. This photo was taken by Richard Porter, who had a poignant encounter with the bird.

The Slender-billed Curlew's disappearance is a significant blow to conservation efforts.

The Slender-billed Curlew is a fascinating bird species, and understanding its behavior and habitat can give us a glimpse into its unique characteristics.

They feed by probing soft mud with their bills for small invertebrates, a feeding strategy that's quite different from other birds.

In the non-breeding season, Slender-billed Curlews are highly social birds, often associating with related species, particularly the Eurasian Curlew.

Outside of breeding season, they can be found in large groups, which is a stark contrast to their solitary behavior during breeding.

The species has been spotted in the northern coastal areas of the Danube Delta, frequenting low-lying islands, bays, and sand-spits covered with Common Glasswort (Salicornia europaea).

In 2003, four birds were present in the area from July 25 to August 21, and six were seen on August 11, 2004, with another individual spotted on August 12 of the same year.

Photographing the Slender-billed Curlew is a rare occurrence, with only a handful of photos known to exist.

Richard Porter's photograph of the Slender-billed Curlew is one of these rare images, taken shortly before the bird's disappearance.

The Slender-billed Curlew is feared extinct, which makes Richard's photograph all the more poignant.

Richard's encounter with the Slender-billed Curlew was a memorable one, one that he shared with Mary.

The Slender-billed Curlew is a bird that may now be extinct.

It's been years since the Slender-billed Curlew was last seen.

This bird is a tragic example of a species that has vanished from the wild.

The Slender-billed Curlew was the subject of a podcast conversation between Mary Colwell and Horatio Clare, a writer who went in search of the bird.

Horatio Clare's search for the Slender-billed Curlew was a poignant reminder of the fragility of life in the wild.