Bird
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Size
50–57 cmUK's largest wading bird — about the size of a small goose
Weight
410 g–1.3 kgAbout the weight of a bag of flour
Lifespan
5 years (up to 32)
Rarity
Uncommon
M vs F
Females have a noticeably longer bill — sometimes over 15 cm; males have a shorter, less curved bill
Habitat
Upland moorland and wet grassland in summer; estuaries and coastal mudflats in winter
Best time
Winter on estuaries; March–July on breeding grounds
Conservation
UK: Red
NT
💡 Did you know?
The Curlew's haunting, liquid bubbling call is considered one of the most evocative sounds in nature — and one that risks becoming rare, with the UK holding 30% of the global population now in serious decline
UK Curlew numbers have dropped by over 65% since the 1970s — driven by predation on nests and chicks, afforestation of moorland, and drainage of wet grassland
Often confused with
Whimbrel (smaller
striped crown
kinked bill
shorter — summer visitor)
Bar-tailed Godwit (straight bill
no curve)
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