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The curlews (/ ˈ k ɜːr lj uː /) are a group of nine species of birds in the genus Numenius, characterised by their long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. The English name is imitative of the Eurasian curlew's call, but may have been influenced by the Old French corliu, "messenger", from courir , "to run".
The Curlew is the largest European wading bird, found on estuaries in winter and moors in summer. Look for its down-curved bill, brown upperparts, long legs and listen for its evocative, bubbling, call.
The curlew is a very large, tall wader, about the same size as a female pheasant. Its haunting display call ('cur-lee') is unmistakable and can be heard from February through to July on its breeding grounds - wet grasslands, farmland, heath and moorlands.
Curlew have always been scarce as a breeding species in lowland landscapes and have strongholds in the uplands of England, Scotland and Wales. The bird's evocative bubbling call, echoing above the heather moorlands and upland-edge grazing, is a well-loved feature indicating the health of these important habitats.
The largest European wading bird, the Eurasian curlew is easy to identify with its elongated bow-shaped bill and spindly legs. In winter groups of curlews known as ‘curfews’ forage together in coastal wetlands, and up to 66,000 pairs breed in the UK and are resident all year round.
The Eurasian curlew is the largest wader in its range, at 50–60 cm (20–24 in) in length, with an 89–106 cm (35–42 in) wingspan and a body weight of 410–1,360 g (0.90–3.00 lb). It is mainly greyish brown, with a white back, greyish-blue legs and a very long curved bill.
Curlew, any of numerous medium-sized or large shorebirds belonging to the genus Numenius (family Scolopacidae) and having a bill that is decurved, or sickle-shaped, curving downward at the tip. Learn more about curlews, including the eight different species.
