Eurasian Curlew

The Eurasian curlew is a very large wader, 50–60cm long with a wingspan of 89–106cm and a weight of 410–1,360g. It is mainly greyish-brown with a white back, greyish-blue legs and a very long curved bill, which is longest in the adult female. The whimbrel is smaller, with a shorter bill that has a kink rather than a smooth curve (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is one of the most widespread curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia, and migratory over most of its range, wintering in Africa, southern Europe and southern Asia. It is highly gregarious outside the breeding season, and the familiar call is a loud curloo-oo (Wikipedia, general species account).