Curlew

Numenius arquata
Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)

CC-BY 2.0 rights : Michele Lamberti

Large brown marked wader. The breast is a lighter brown, the underbelly and rump are white. A long beak - up to 15 cm. The 4 toes are wide apart. The ♀ is larger and has a longer beak than the ♂.

Mainly active at night looking for food in mud or shallow water or dried banks, always near water.

⇔ l. 50-60 cm

The is the largest wader of western Europe. To protect the ground nest it pretends to be hurt to distract predators further away from the nest. This behaviour is also seen with some plovers like the Northern lapwing. This migratory bird is breeding in western Europe to central Asia and wintering along south European, African and Asian shores.

LA:
≈ The NUMENIUS PHAEOPUS  (Whimbrel) is much smaller, the beak is shorter and more curved. The Whimbrel is also breeding more northerly.  
≈ The LIMOSA LIMOSA (Black-tailed godwit) is smaller and has a straight beak. 
≈ The PLEGADIS FALCINELLUS (Glossy Ibis) is much darker in colour and not seen in north or central Europe.

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