noun
whimbrel
A migratory shorebird (Numenius phaeopus) with a long, down-curved bill. The Japanese name is usually written in katakana.
干潟でチュウシャクシギが餌を探していた。
A whimbrel was foraging on the tidal flat.
Katakana spelling is common for bird names and matches usual-kana usage.
Kanji form is very rare and not commonly used; the bird is almost always written in kana.
The Japanese name チュウシャクシギ is a compound of 中杓 (chūshaku, 'medium-sized ladle') and 鷸 (shigi, 'sandpiper'), referring to its medium size among curlews and its long, curved bill resembling a ladle.