{"id":56852,"date":"2019-03-26T06:23:52","date_gmt":"2019-03-26T12:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=56852"},"modified":"2025-11-18T16:43:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T22:43:50","slug":"utahs-long-billed-curlews-have-arrived-and-their-calls-are-being-heard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/03\/26\/utahs-long-billed-curlews-have-arrived-and-their-calls-are-being-heard\/","title":{"rendered":"Utah’s Long-billed Curlews Have Arrived And Their Calls Are Being Heard"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MaleMale Long-billed Curlew at sunrise in a frosty grassland – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/200, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Utah’s Long-billed Curlews have arrived and their calls are being heard as they display over the grasslands, as they forage for food on the ground and I’m over the moon because they have returned. I love their haunting calls and quite often those calls clue me in on their location.<\/p>\n

Want to hear Long-billed Curlews? Have a listen here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The first time I saw a Long-billed Curlew in Utah I have to admit I was a little stunned because I’d only photographed them previously in Florida. So it seemed odd that I would see them in western grasslands as opposed to the beaches of the Gulf Coast but the grasslands are where they breed and raise their young.<\/p>\n

The curlews I saw in Florida were overwintering or were too young to mate and had stayed over on their wintering grounds.<\/p>\n

Since moving to Utah I have been able to see and photograph Long-billed Curlews displaying, mating, fighting, incubating, on their nests, foraging, watching over their young, and have listened to their calls echo over the grasslands in Utah, Idaho, and Montana.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale Long-billed Curlew displaying in front of Fremont Island and the Promontory Mountains – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/400, ISO 640, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Nearly three years ago on April 2, 2016 I had one of the most amazing views of well over one hundred migrating Long-billed Curlews not too far from the visitor center at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge as they staged near the Bear River.<\/p>\n

I was so stunned by the number of curlews I could see that I had to pull over to the side of the road, turn off my engine, and soak it all in.<\/p>\n

At that moment in time as I viewed them by myself I wished that I could have shared what I was seeing with the world but I couldn’t get them all in a single photo because they were spread out.<\/p>\n

So I sat there enchanted as I watched them forage and listened to them call. I was in the right place at precisely the right time to see an amazing, natural gathering of these incredible birds.<\/p>\n

It was profoundly satisfying for me to see all of the curlews since shorebirds were my “spark” birds that propelled me into bird photography. I hope I never lose my memory of those curlews from that day.<\/p>\n

Neither of these images is spectacular but for me they stir my senses. I can hear the call of the birds echoing in my mind.<\/p>\n

Yesterday when I saw, heard, and photographed these Long-billed Curlews while on Antelope Island I was reminded of all the times I have taken photos of these large shorebirds here in Utah, Montana, and in Florida.<\/p>\n

It also reminded me of how I have enjoyed having an intimate view of their lives both through my lens and with my eyes.<\/p>\n

I love what I do.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Long-billed Curlew photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday when I saw, heard and photographed these Long-billed Curlews while on Antelope Island I was reminded of all the times I have taken photos of these large shorebirds here in Utah, Montana and in Florida and how I have enjoyed having an intimate view of their lives both through my lens and with my eyes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":164129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,1022,199,26],"tags":[4004,4808,4809,779,3245,4038,4132,4133,4528,274],"class_list":["post-56852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-long-billed-curlews","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-curlew","tag-curlews","tag-displaying","tag-fremont-island","tag-grasslands","tag-long-billed-curlew","tag-numenius-americanus","tag-promontory-mountains","tag-shorebirds-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-displaying-mia-mcpherson-3495.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-eMY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":67513,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/03\/29\/long-billed-curlews-have-returned-for-their-breeding-season\/","url_meta":{"origin":56852,"position":0},"title":"Long-billed Curlews Have Returned For Their Breeding Season","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago I heard and saw my first of the season Long-billed Curlews while looking for birds to photograph in northern Utah and I could barely contain my excitement.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Long-billed Curlew foraging in mixed grasses, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-2014.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-2014.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-2014.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-2014.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51346,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/03\/22\/long-billed-curlews-shorebirds-of-the-great-basin\/","url_meta":{"origin":56852,"position":1},"title":"Long-billed Curlews – Shorebirds of the Great Basin","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"It was one year ago today that I saw and heard my first Long-billed Curlews of the year and this morning as I sit here knowing there are cloudy skies outside I am wondering if the curlews have returned to northern Utah today as well.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Long-billed Curlew in the grasses on Antelope Island, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0604.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0604.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0604.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/long-billed-curlew-male-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0604.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45294,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/02\/listening-for-long-billed-curlews\/","url_meta":{"origin":56852,"position":2},"title":"Listening For Long-billed Curlews","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The first of March always makes me think of and listen for Long-billed Curlews, our largest shorebird of North America.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Long-billed Curlew in spring grasses, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0324.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0324.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0324.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-grasses-mia-mcpherson-0324.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38649,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/21\/male-long-billed-curlew-on-antelope-island\/","url_meta":{"origin":56852,"position":3},"title":"Male Long-billed Curlew on Antelope Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Long-billed Curlews on Antelope Island are fascinating subjects to photograph and observe or anywhere for that matter.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Curlew calling in Utah on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-call-mia-mcpherson-0460.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-call-mia-mcpherson-0460.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-call-mia-mcpherson-0460.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-call-mia-mcpherson-0460.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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They weren't close enough to photograph but I know that soon I will have them in my viewfinder again.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Curlew walking the shore of the Gulf of Mexico at Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-shoreline-mia-mcpherson-6031.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-shoreline-mia-mcpherson-6031.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-shoreline-mia-mcpherson-6031.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-shoreline-mia-mcpherson-6031.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":101253,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/31\/spring-long-billed-curlew-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":56852,"position":5},"title":"Spring Long-billed Curlew Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday I spotted and pointed out this Long-billed Curlew foraging and calling in the grasses of the north end of Antelope Island State Park.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Alert male Long-billed Curlew in soft morning light, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-6441.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-6441.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-6441.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/long-billed-curlew-male-spring-mia-mcpherson-6441.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56852"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56852\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/164129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}