The curlew is the largest wader in Europe, and has a distinctive long curved bill and long legs. Its upper body is mostly brown and it has a white rump which can be seen in flight.
Both male and female birds look alike.
Curlews spend most of the winter months in estuaries and on coastal mud-flats. In early spring they move inland to breed in bogs, wet heathland and rough pasture.
The curlew uses its long beak to search for invertebrates and crabs in the soft ground. During courtship, the male rises steeply into the air and glides back to the ground singing a crescendo of notes to attract the female birds.
Carnivore: Curlews feed mainly on small marine worms, shrimps and shore-crabs as well as worms on the heathland.
The curlew is in decline in England. This is due to the effects of agricultural intensification, increase in predators and disturbance of its breeding habitats. Conservation action to help curlews includes management of water abstraction, management of breeding sites and the conservation of wintering habitats such as coastal areas. Staying on footpaths and keeping dogs under control is essential during the breeding periods.