Notes on longevity and flightlessness in bristle-thighed curlews

Bristle-thighed Curlews (Numenius tahitiensis) are among the least-studied shorebirds in the world. They have a highly restricted breeding range in western Alaska and winter exclusively on remote islands in the central and south Pacific (AOU 1983, Kessel 1989). The status of these birds is not known, but they are considered to be rare throughout their range (Johnsgard 1981). We describe two unusual traits of Bristle-thighed Curlews - exceptional longevity and flightlessness during molt-and discuss their significance to the species' migration and nonbreeding ecology.