BirdAnalyst
Species · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Bristle-thighed Curlew

ScolopacidaeShorebirdsNumenius tahitiensis

Bristle-thighed Curlew has declined: down 45% on the route-weighted index since 1995.

-45%Since 1995TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
6RoutesSurvey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
13Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →

About the Bristle-thighed Curlew

The Bristle-thighed Curlew (Numenius tahitiensis) is a North American member of the Sandpipers & Allies (Scolopacidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the shorebirds.

Size
5–26 in long (13–66 cm) — a probing shorebird (typical for the family)
Habitat
Shorelines, mudflats, beaches, flooded fields and wet meadows.
Diet
Invertebrates probed or picked from mud, sand and shallow water.
Range
Recorded on 6 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 1 state, most concentrated in the BCR 2.
Family
Scolopacidae · Shorebirds

Notable Bristle-thighed Curlew TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →

No notable trend signals for Bristle-thighed Curlew. See the full index history below.

Where the Bristle-thighed Curlew Is Detected

BBS routes recording Bristle-thighed Curlew, sized by most recent count.

Bristle-thighed Curlew Population Trend by State

Bristle-thighed Curlew population trend by state.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Alaska-41%19956

Bristle-thighed Curlew Population Trend by Region

Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.

Bristle-thighed Curlew population trend by Bird Conservation Region.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
BCR 2-20%19954

Bristle-thighed Curlew Conservation Status

Our route-weighted index shows it down about 45% since 1995. Many shorebirds have declined steeply, reflecting pressure on the coastal and wetland stopovers they depend on.

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.