Whimbrel — Numenius phaeopus

Abstract

The Whimbrel is breeding throughout the northern Holarctic (Fig. 92). The existence of geographical variation in the breeding populations of the Whimbrel is summarized by Vaurie (1965), Glutz et al. (1977), Prater et al. (1977), Cramp & Simmons (1983), Stepanyan (1990) and Rogacheva (1992). Often, up to 4 races are distinguished in the Whimbrel:

• N, p. phaeopus, breeding from Iceland in the west to SW Taymyr, the middle Yenisei and Omsk in the east.

• N. p. alboaxillaris, breeding in the steppes east of the lower Volga and south and south-east of the Urals.

• N. p. hudsonicus, breeding in N America.

• N. p. variegatus, breeding in NE Siberia. The west border of its breeding range stretches to the middle Yana basin and perhaps SE Taymyr.