whimbrel
(ˈhwɪmbrəl)
Forms: 6 whympernell (?), 7, 9 wimbrel, 9 whimbrell, 7– whimbrel.
[? f. whimp or whimper v., from the bird's cry. Cf. for the ending dotterel, titterel.]
Applied to various small species of curlew, esp. the European Numenius phæopus.
| 1530–1 Durham Househ. Bk. (Surtees) 46, 3 curleus et 1 whympernell 13d. 1678 Ray Willughby's Ornith. 294 The Whimbrel: Arquata minor,..Mr. Johnson of Brignal, in his Papers communicated to us, describes this Bird by the name of a Whimbrel thus. It is less by half than the Curlew, hath a crooked Bill, but shorter by an inch and more. 1688 Phil. Trans. XVII. 997 Curlews something less than our English, tho' bigger than a Wimbrel. 1768 Pennant Brit. Zool. II. 514 The Whimbrel entirely leaves England in the Spring. 1863 Baring-Gould Iceland vi. 100 Whimbrel and golden plover pipe and wail in all directions. 1897 Spectator 14 Aug. 210/1 On the fringe of a muddy creek..were some thirty whimbrel..with three or four curlews. 1898 J. A. Gibbs Cotswold Village 102 There are wimbrels and curlews that have been shot here..stuffed and hung up in glass cases. |