Curlew or whimbrel? (North Uist, Scotland,) (3 Viewers)

[condliffen]

I've marked this as a curlew, but just wanted a second opinion in case I'm letting a whimbrel slip through the ID net. It was taken on 26/07/13 on North Uist, Scotland (where I know they get whimbrel, hence my desire to double-check). Thoughts?
Cheers
Neale

 

[tconzemi]

Get a Whimbrel feeling, super might be an artefact though

 

[Bert]

Whimbrel for me, bill looks way too short.

 

[chris butterworth]

Curlew. The bill is too evenly curved for Whimbrel.

Chris

 

[condliffen]

@Bert
The short bill threw me, too, until I read that younger curlews have shorter bills (understandably, I guess).

 

[DaveN]

Agree with Chris for the reason given.

 

[chris butterworth]

@Bert
The short bill threw me, too, until I read that younger curlews have shorter bills (understandably, I guess).

It's not only juveniles, there's a lot of short-billed adult males around as well.

Chris

 

[condliffen]

Fair enough. I suppose it would be odd if all birds of a particular species had uniformly-sized anatomical features (just as with humans!).
Thanks Chris.

 

[bitterntwisted]

It's calling. That's the easiest way to tell them apart.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I don't see much of a face pattern either. I'd go with curlew.

 

[Collin]

Curlew for me too. Can see some toes projection.

 

[Bert]

Okay, okay, I agree. I just looked at the pic briefly and gave my first thought B

Bert