common curlew

The common curlew (Numenius arquata) is a large Old World curlew, notable as the largest European shorebird, measuring nearly 60 cm (24 inches) in length, including its bill. These birds are characterized by their streaked gray or brown plumage, long necks, and distinctive decurved, sickle-shaped bills.12

Curlews belong to the genus Numenius and are shorebirds that breed in inland temperate and sub-Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, migrating to warmer climates for winter. During migration, they frequent dry uplands, feeding on insects and seeds. In winter, they inhabit marshes and coastal mudflats, using their long bills to probe for worms and crabs.2

The slender-billed curlew (N. tenuirostris), a smaller species, was declared extinct in 2024 due to extensive hunting and habitat loss, particularly the draining of wetlands and conversion of steppes for agriculture.34