![\"long-billed](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/long-billed-curlew-1995-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a01\/1600, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n I encountered this chick and several siblings two days ago\u00a0as they negotiated the thick grasses next to the main road on Antelope Island.\u00a0 These chicks are precocial\u00a0– they\u00a0hatch with eyes open and are able\u00a0to walk within 5 hours and feed within 10 hours of hatching.\u00a0 I took a few photos from inside my pickup on the road and\u00a0then moved on.<\/p>\n Whenever I see a curlew chick one thought inevitably goes through my mind – the amazing extent to which that little beak must quickly grow.\u00a0 Notice how short the bill is at this early stage (and the fact that it is already slightly decurved) and then compare it to…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a01\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS\u00a0 USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n the length of the bill of the adult which can be as long as 8.6 inches.\u00a0 And this growth must take place relatively quickly to allow it to feed as efficiently as the adults do.\u00a0 Foraging\u00a0 for earthworms on their breeding grounds is thought to be a primary reason for the shape and length of their bills.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS\u00a0 USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I took this photo on the island on June 30 of last year.\u00a0 This youngster still has down on the back of its neck and you can see how much the bill has grown (compared to the chick in the first image)\u00a0in just a few short weeks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is the egg from which a curlew chick must emerge.\u00a0 This\u00a0egg was found two years ago\u00a0(a rather intriguing story – more here<\/a>\u00a0if you’re interested).\u00a0 I include this image to make the obvious visually apparent – that there’s simply not enough room in the egg for the bill\u00a0to grow very much before hatching.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Because of their somewhat limited breeding range I suspect that many have never seen a Long-billed Curlew chick so I decided to post this little cutie despite the partially obscured view of the bird.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n