Page 195 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WADERS
Order Charadriiformes Family Scolopacidae Species Numenius arquata
Curlew

streaked brown
dark-tipped above head uniform or
upperwings with faintly banded
pale inner half along crown

broad
“V” on gull-like
rump shape
spotted
IN FLIGHT flanks long, evenly
downcurved
short
often looks dark greyish bill
at distance
legs

whiter
belly
breeding bird in much of Europe, the FLIGHT: strong, direct, gull-like, quite slow beats;
ACurlew is also widespread and often in lines or “V”s.
common on shorelines of all kinds and
around many inland waters. It is easily
recognized both by its shape and its voice;
in spring, it has one of the most beautiful
of all European bird songs. Curlews at long
range on mudflats or roosting on a sand MIXED ROOST
spit tend to look large and in most Curlews stand tall
circumstances rather dark, although close beside godwits and
views, or bright sun, reveal a quite pale, other waders at high-
sandy-brown colour. tide roosts.
VOICE Typical calls loud, full whoy, haup,
cur-li, hoarse, throaty cu-cu-cew, longer, slow,
repeated cur-lew; song begins slowly,
accelerates into ecstatic, rich, bubbling trill.
NESTING Shallow hollow, lined with grass, OPPORTUNIST
on ground; 4 eggs; 1 brood;April–July. Curlews are able to use their long
FEEDING Probes and picks up worms, bills to feed on wave-washed
insects, crabs, starfish, and molluscs. rocks, as well as on mud.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds widely in N and W Europe,
BAR-TAILED GODWIT WHIMBREL on riverside meadows, bogs in
immature, winter see p.194
adult; more heaths, wet moors, and northern
see p.192 upcurved angled shores and islands. Winters on
bill bill estuaries, especially larger, muddy
ones, but also small creeks, salt
smaller and
darker marshes, and wet grassland.
Seen in the UK
J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 50–60cm (20–23 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 80–100cm (32–39in) Weight 575–950g (21–34oz)
Social Winter flocks Lifespan 10–20 years Status Declining
193