World Curlew Day

Curlews belong to the genus Numenius, and there are generally recognized to be eight species worldwide.

The Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis) and slender-billed curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) are now considered probably extinct, as there have been no confirmed sightings for decades. Several others are listed as threatened.

The Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata) is classified as Near Threatened globally, with serious declines in parts of Europe, while the Far Eastern curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) and Bristle-thighed curlew (Numenius tahitiensis) are both listed as Endangered due to habitat loss and pressures along their migratory routes.  [1]

Curlew populations are shrinking mainly because of habitat loss and changes in land use.

Drainage of wetlands, conversion of grasslands to intensive agriculture, afforestation of open moorland, and coastal development all reduce the open, damp habitats these birds need for nesting and feeding.

In some regions, increased predation on eggs and chicks, disturbance from recreation, and hunting along migration routes add further pressure.

These combined threats lower breeding success and survival, leading to long-term declines in many curlew populations. 

Breeding curlews typically choose open landscapes with good visibility, such as wet grasslands, moorland, heath, or tundra, often with soft, damp soil where they can probe for invertebrates.

They tend to avoid areas with dense trees or tall structures that can conceal predators or obstruct their view.

Successful nesting depends on a mosaic of short vegetation for nesting and taller cover for chicks, low levels of disturbance from people or livestock, and management that prevents fields from being mown or drained during the nesting period.  [1]

The curlew’s long, curved bill is highly specialized for probing deep into mud, sand, or soft soil to reach prey that other shorebirds cannot easily access.

The tip of the bill contains dense concentrations of nerve endings that act like touch receptors, allowing the bird to detect buried worms, small crabs, and other invertebrates it cannot see.

This sensitive bill lets curlews feed efficiently in estuaries, mudflats, and wet grasslands, where they often exploit food sources that are out of reach for shorter-billed species. [1]

Most curlew species are migratory, traveling between high-latitude breeding grounds and warmer nonbreeding areas.

Eurasian curlews, for example, breed across northern Europe and parts of Asia and then migrate to coastal regions of western Europe, Africa, and southern Asia for the winter.

Far Eastern curlews undertake particularly long journeys, moving from breeding areas in northeastern Asia to nonbreeding grounds as far as Australia and New Zealand.

Individual birds can cover thousands of miles each year, often relying on a chain of coastal wetlands to rest and refuel along the way.

Coastal wetlands such as estuaries, mudflats, and salt marshes are essential feeding and resting sites for many curlew species outside the breeding season and during migration.

These habitats are rich in invertebrates that curlews access with their long bills, and they provide relatively safe places to roost at high tide.

Because curlews often depend on a limited number of key stopover and wintering sites, the loss or degradation of these wetlands from reclamation, pollution, sea level rise, or disturbance can have a disproportionate impact on entire populations along a flyway. 

Curlews have a long cultural presence in many regions, often linked to their haunting calls over moorland or coast.

In parts of the British Isles and Ireland, the curlew’s cry has been associated with mystery or bad omens, and it appears in traditional songs and poetry as a symbol of lonely wild places.

In some Indigenous cultures, especially in areas where curlews were once common, they feature in stories that explain landscape features or seasonal changes.

Writers from W. B. Yeats to contemporary nature authors have used curlews to evoke themes of loss, wilderness, and the fragility of open landscapes.