Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

The whimbrel is a limicolous bird that nests in summer in often continental wetlands, mainly in northern and northeastern Europe and as far east as Siberia. It migrates south to spend the winter on the coasts of Africa and South Asia, and as far south as Oceania. Every year, thousands of whimbrels pass along the French coast on their way to or from their African wintering grounds. They frequent coastal mudflats, salt marshes and estuaries. Whimbrels are widely hunted on their migratory stopover sites, particularly in France, and on their wintering grounds.

Shorebirds are captured on moonless nights using vertical nets set between their feeding sites on the mudflats they frequent during their migratory stopover. All shorebirds are fitted with GPS tags weighing between 3 and 10g, depending on the size of the species. These beacons transmit the birds’ geographical position and altitude live via the 4G network.

Migratory in France

Breeder in France

: Wintering in France