Eurasian curlew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eurasian curlew |
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| A male Eurasian curlew | |
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| Global map of N. arquata Year-Round Range Summer Range Winter Range | |
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The Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata) is a very large wader bird. Waders are birds that often live near water and have long legs for wading. This bird belongs to the Scolopacidae family, which includes sandpipers and snipes.
It is one of the most common curlews. It breeds, meaning it lays eggs and raises its young, across cool parts of Europe and Asia. In Europe, people often just call it the "curlew." In Scotland, it's sometimes known as the "whaup."
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About the Curlew's Name
Scientists give every animal a special two-part name. For the Eurasian curlew, this name is Scolopax arquata. This name was first given by a Swedish scientist named Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
Later, the curlew was moved into a group of birds called Numenius. The name Numenius comes from an old Greek word for a bird. It might mean "new moon" because the curlew's long beak looks like a crescent moon.
The second part of its scientific name, arquata, is a Latin word. It means "bow-shaped" or "arched." This also describes the bird's curved beak.
The English name "curlew" sounds like the bird's loud call, which is a clear curloo-oo.
There are three main types, or subspecies, of Eurasian curlew:
- N. a. arquata: This type lives in western, northern, and central Europe.
- N. a. orientalis: This type breeds in western and central Siberia all the way to Northeast China.
- N. a. suschkini: This type breeds from western Kazakhstan to southwestern Siberia.
What Does the Eurasian Curlew Look Like?
The Eurasian curlew is the biggest wader in the areas where it lives. It is about 50 to 60 centimeters (20 to 24 inches) long. Its wings can spread out to 89 to 106 centimeters (35 to 42 inches) wide. It weighs between 410 and 1360 grams (about 1 to 3 pounds).
This bird is mostly greyish-brown. It has a white back and greyish-blue legs. Its most special feature is its very long, curved beak. Male and female curlews look alike. However, adult females usually have longer beaks than males.
It can be hard to tell a male and female apart unless you see them together as a mated pair. The bird's call is a loud and clear curloo-oo.
The only bird that looks very similar in most of the curlew's range is the Eurasian whimbrel. Whimbrels are smaller. They also have a shorter beak that has a slight bend, not a smooth curve like the curlew's.
When flying, curlews might also look like bar-tailed godwits. But godwits are smaller and have a slightly upturned beak. Their legs do not stick out as far past their tail as the curlew's do. The Eurasian curlew's long legs form a clear "point" when it flies.
Where Do Curlews Live?
Most Eurasian curlews are migratory. This means they travel long distances. They spend their winters in Africa, southern Europe, and southern Asia. Sometimes, a single bird might fly far from its usual path, reaching places like Nova Scotia or the Marianas.
In milder places like Ireland and the United Kingdom, curlews stay all year round. They also live along the nearby European coasts.
Changes to their homes have affected curlew numbers. When marshy fields and moorland are drained or turned into farms, their homes shrink. Planting too many trees in moorland also reduces their habitat. However, in some parts of Scandinavia, turning forests into grassland has helped their numbers grow.
Curlew Behaviour and Life
Eurasian curlews are generally careful and shy birds. When it's not breeding season, they like to gather in large groups.
Reproduction and Nests
Curlews make their nests on the ground. They choose open areas like taiga (northern forests), meadows, and similar grassy places. Their nest is just a simple scrape in the ground.
A female curlew usually lays four eggs. This happens in April or May. She sits on the eggs for about a month until they hatch. Sometimes, curlews choose to nest close to common kestrels. Kestrels can help protect the curlew nests from other predators, like crows. But kestrels can also sometimes eat curlew eggs.
What Do Curlews Eat?
Eurasian curlews find their food by pushing their long beaks into soft mud. They look for small invertebrates, which are creatures without backbones, like worms. If they get the chance, they will also pick up small crabs and earthworms from the surface of the ground.
Who Preys on Curlews?
Curlew eggs can be eaten by predators like foxes and other birds that hunt. Interestingly, sheep have also been seen eating curlew eggs, as shown in the BBC nature series Springwatch.
Why Are Curlews in Danger?
The Eurasian curlew was once thought to be a bird that wasn't in much danger. This was because it lived in many places and had a large population. However, scientists later noticed that the number of curlews was dropping very quickly.
Because of this fast decline, its status was changed in 2008 to "Near Threatened." This means it could become endangered soon if things don't change. Even though it's still a common bird, its numbers are clearly going down. This is especially true in the United Kingdom and Ireland, which have about a quarter of all the curlews in the world.
In just 20 years up to 2016, the curlew population dropped by more than half in England and Scotland. In Wales, it dropped by over 80%, and in Ireland, by more than 90%. By the end of 2015, it was put on the United Kingdom's "red list" of birds most in danger.
The curlew is also part of an international agreement called the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). This agreement helps protect birds that migrate across Africa and Eurasia.
Scientists at the British Trust for Ornithology believe that curlew numbers in the UK have been hurt by too much farming and tree planting. These activities reduce the open grasslands that curlews need for their homes.
Gallery
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A clutch of curlew eggs
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Curlew eggs at the Museum Wiesbaden, Germany
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A curlew skull
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Eurasian Curlew at Chilika Lake, India
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Eurasian curlew pictured in the former coat of arms of Oulunsalo
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