larger, longer-winged, shorter legged, and warmer in plumage tone than its Asian relative. Distribution and habitat The Eskimo curlew was a New World bird. Members of this species bred on the tundra of western Arctic Canada and Alaska. Eskimo curlews migrated to the Pampas of Argentina in the late summer and returned in February. They used to be very rare vagrants to western Europe, but there have been no recent records. In Great Britain, there are four records, all from the 19th century. A comparison of dates and migratory patterns has led some to conjecture that Eskimo curlews and American golden plover are the shorebirds that attracted the attention of Christopher Columbus to nearby land after 65 days at sea and out of sight of land on his first voyage. In the 1800s, millions of Eskimo curlews followed migration routes from the present Yukon and Northwest Territories, flying east along the northern shore of Canada, then south over the Atlantic Ocean to South America in the winter. When returning to North America, they would fly north through the Great Plains. Ecology and behavior Diet Eskimo curlews picked up food by sight, as well as feeding by probing. They ate mostly berries while on the fall migration in Canada. During the rest of their migration and on the breeding grounds, they ate insects. Snails and other invertebrates (including the extinct Rocky Mountain locust) also were part of their diet during migration. Reproduction Nesting probably occurred in June. Nests were in open areas on the ground and were difficult to find. They were made of wisps of dried grass or leaves. The eggs were green with brown splotches. The specific incubation behavior of this species is unknown. It is not certain which sex if not both incubated, nor what the specific timeline is. These birds evidently did not attack intruders approaching their nests, which provides reason to believe that their nests were far apart from each other. Probable extinction At one time, the Eskimo curlew may have been one of the most numerous shorebirds in North America, with a population in the millions. As many as 2 million birds per year were killed near the end of the 19th century. The last confirmed sightings were in 1962 on Galveston Island, Texas (photographed) and on Barbados in 1963 (specimen). There was a reliable report of 23 birds in Texas in 1981, and a